Issei Hyoudou: The Guardian
by shadowwriter01
Summary: Issei died... but before Rias Gremory could resurrect him, another force interfered. Instead of becoming a Devil, Issei joins a group of interdimensional Warriors, sworn to protect all universes. Issei is stronger, better trained and becoming smarter (simply better prepared) than in canon.
1. Chapter 1: Revival

**Issei Hyoudou: the Guardian**

Issei Hyoudou was dead

... he knew he was... yes, at some level at least he was aware of this.

He had been murdered... by his own girlfriend - on a date, their first date of all things - right when it was coming to it´s end.

Walking through the park at evening, hand in hand with her, with an actual girl yes, and then suddenly... she turned around and killed him.

Not only that, she had suddenly somehow... transformed. Black wings grew out of her back, she seemed to become a bit taller, her clothes changed... no, he thought, they vanished and were replaced with a strange but very sexy leather outfit.

Well... a small consolation was at least that he was able to see her naked for a few moments in the second while **she** did transform, Issei said to himself.

He remembered the words, the person who had killed him had said this to him:

 _"Will you die for me?"_

 _"It was kind of fun... like playing house with a little child."_

The mocking words were still halling through his head.

Well, it could have been worse, a **very** small sarcastic part of him thought. At least she had fun. Who cared about why?

How she had casually - and coldly - commented to him why she did it, in words he did not even come close to understand.

 _"Blame God for putting this Sacred Gear inside you,"_ she had said.

What the hell did that even mean? he thought... Sacred Gear, what the hell was **that**?

He had died. Or did he? he asked himself.

 **xxx**

Issei was dead ...

When he was looking around right now though, he wasn´t even so sure about that last part anymore. He was standing inside a completely empty white room.

What was strange however was that he couldn´t actually make out any real walls. The room just seemed to continue until he couldn´t even make out it´s end anymore.

What in the world was this crazy place?

He had been dying. He was quite sure about that. But somehow he was still... alive? he asked himself.

The last he remembered was bleeding out back there in the park, right next to the fountain...

... and now he was here. Wherever that was.

He looked down on himself. The wound was no longer there, he realized. His body was healed. He was pretty well sure however that he had a bleeding wound in his chest just a few moments ago.

...and well, he still **had** a body. This alone would be strange if he were some kind of ghost, right?

Was this Heaven? he asked himself for a short moment.

But then he should be surprised to be even here, another sarcastic part of him thought. After all he had been a notorious pervert.

He **did** die, didn´t he?

"I see you have arrived," a voice greeted him. "And no, this is not Heaven. But yes, technically, you died."

As Issei turned around he saw the figure of a young man - maybe 25 or 30 years old by his looks - with dark brown hair who was about one head taller than him. He was wearing something that looked like a quite ordinary styled grey suit.

At least that was what **he** looked like at the first glance.

But something told Isse that **this** was anything but a normal person. He didn´t really understood it himself, but somehow his senses were screaming at him that this guy was all but normal.

It told him to either run away or bow down to him.

And there was something else... How in the world did this guy know what he had just been thinking?

"Who are you? How did you know...?" he attempted to ask him the question... but once again the stranger was one step ahead of him.

"Who I am?" he replied. "I actually have many names. You can just call me... Darien. That is at least the name I am going by currently," he stated.

"What is important for you is, I am the one who has brought you here. And... to the question how did I know what you were thinking?...Yes Issei Hyoudou, I have indeed been reading your mind," the man said to him smiling friendly.

"What?" he just thought.

Okay, after girlfriends who suddenly grew wings, stab you to death and then fly away... maybe this should not be surprising him **that** much.

Despite the insane things the man had just told him he wasn't in any way a threat at all. In fact his expression was actually... comforting?

Maybe that was it, he had just lost his mind. Yes... things like Yuuma growing wings and killing him, finding himself in a completely white room with a man who claims that he can read your thoughts. That couldn´t be true, could it? In reality he was probably locked up somewhere and in a straight jacket, surrounded by doctors who were trying to find out what was wrong with him, he thought.

"No, Issei Hyoudou, you have not gone crazy," the man told him, once again repeating what he was thinking. "All of this here is actually quite real. Your just no longer in your regular world."

"Ah ha ha ha," Issei suddenly started to laugh, sounding however quite forced. "This is a dream, right? I am dreaming. Or is all this here some kind of special effect? Are you from one of these TV-shows?"

"I see... you are confused," he said casually. "That is more than understandable in your situation. First of let me assure you that nothing will harm you while you are here.

And to your questions: Where we are? This here is, as it is called, a provisorical spatial dimension. You could say it is a small gap between realities that my group is using for its purposes."

"A what?" Issei wanted to call out, but it became only a quiet whisper.

He slowly nodded with his head sheepishly. Of course he understood absolutely nothing.

"Maybe I should use other means to convince you," the man said.

Suddenly the room around them changed. Instead of being in a white empty space they were now... **standing** a few centimeters above the open sea. Or better said they were hovering right above the water.

Issei could hear the waves of the ocean, could feel the wind. It was so real.

"Come on, touch it," the man named Darian said, as Issei bowed down and reached his hand out to the surface of the sea that had just appeared where they were standing.

He could feel the cold water running through his fingers.

"It is..." Issei wanted to say.

"It **is** real... technically at least," Darien told him. "My power can form this place and whatever I will it becomes reality. I would be capable of even more if I were truly here," he stated.

"Truly here... but?" Issei questioned.

"My physical self is actually in a different universe. The body you see here, like everything else around you, it a manifestation I have created with my mind," he explained.

Everything around them now changed back as it was before. The ocean under their feet was once again replaced with the empty white room.

Once again Issei was aghast.

"Other universes?" he asked.

"Like in the TV-shows," the being named `Darien´ responded with a hint of humor.

"Of course." For a moment he grinned and actually had to hold back his laughter. Even the being in front of him had a grin on his face. But then remembered where he was.

Does that mean you are something like...ah... God?" he asked. Given the power he possessed this question was not so far off.

"No," the man replied, "but you could say I and my group are deeply connected to the force you would call God. But that is an explanation for another time. I see that you can barely keep up with the few things I have already told you."

That would be an understatement, Issei thought sarcastically.

"I have brought your soul here, to make you an offer," the being called Darien said to him.

"An offer?" he repeated. "Brought my soul here?"

"As I have told you, you have indeed died," the man continued. "As you have probably figured out, your current body - just like mine - is just a mental projection. I have formed it so that we can talk easier. Your true body is still lying in the park," he told him calmly.

Issei didn´t say anything. He had suspected something like that actually. But hearing it from his mouth... Issei only managed to gulp.

"I am a Guardian, a protector of the multiverse as you could call it," Darien introduced himself. "I am the leader of our group... and I want to make you an offer."

"An offer?"

"Yes, but tell me first, would you like to live again?" he asked.

"Of course I would," he replied heatedly. "Who wouldn´t?"

"Who wouldn´t? That is a good question. What if I told you now that your return is to be bound on certain conditions?"

"What do you mean with `conditions´? Of course I want to return to life. All I want to do is go back and forget that any of this ever happened. If you can bring me back then just do it."

"That is exactly what I meant," the man stated. "I fear that the option to `go back how things were´ no longer exist for you."

"What do you mean?" Issei asked confused.

"What I mean is this, even if you return, do you really think the people who were responsible for your death would just let you continue to live your life like nothing happened?" he questioned.

Issei froze. The situation became quickly clear to him. Of course they **wouldn´t**. As soon as they found out that he was still alive, they would come after him again.

"Responsible? You mean Yuuma?" he asked

"Her and others."

"Devils," was his simple answer.

Issei was once again stunned. But at the same time, it was at this point that he truly had enough of it all.

"Okay stop... **Devils**?" he yelled. "Would you please care to explain to me from the beginning. Don´t get me wrong, you seem to be a okay guy, for a super powered super-being anyway, but...

First Yuuma turns into this... whatever she was... and stabs me. Then she starts to talking about something called Sacred Gear... I don´t even know what that is... and then you show up and tell me something about mind-reading, guardians and other universes..." it was all bursting out of him now.

All his senses were still somehow telling him that this being could crush him like a bug and that yelling at him was probably not the smartest thing to do. But he just couldn´t help himself.

"I just don´t understand anything anymore," Issei said now more quietly. Ironically, his time here was probably the first time in days that he had not spend most of his mental power on thinking about girls and their breasts.

Yet the `man´ who could so easily destroy him if he wanted was only looking at him with a friendly... and obviously uneasy expression. Issei couldn´t help to think that this guy felt sorry for him.

"Okay... ahm," he said. Issei was still trying to make sense of all of that.

He wasn´t even sure when he had suddenly developed a sixth sense for danger. **If** it was that.

"You are right," the man responded then. "I should first explain a few things to you. Like you have probably already figured out by now, your girlfriend Yuuma is actually a supernatural being... like I am, but different," he stated.

"Her real name is Raynare by the way, as we have found out. She is actually a Fallen Angel to be exact... She is part of a group that resides in this town. But they are by far not the only supernaturals here..."

"A Fallen Angel, like in the Christian Bible you mean?" Issei asked him. "Like in... fallen from Heaven and all that?"

"In a way yes. But I doubt that she or any member of her team have ever actually fallen from Heaven. One thing you should know is that there had been a Great War several centuries ago between the three most prominent factions - the Angels, the Fallen Angels and the Devils."

"A Great War?" Issei repeated.

"Yes. All three sides had been decimated at it´s end... and the Fallen's were in the worst state.

Literally only their leaders and a handful of others had been left. So it is most likely that Raynare and the rest of her team had been born in the generations afterwards.

Today the three factions are in cease-fire. Or more correctly - as it is called today - a Cold War situation. Your hometown Kuoh is actually being dominated by the Devils. In fact the girl Rias Gremory, that you know from your school, is a Devil."

It was all just too much. Issei´s brain was still trying to process all the crazy information that was suddenly being thrown at him.

Rias Gremory... a Devil? She was in the class above him in High School for fuck´s sake. One of the most popular girls in his school.

"And what has that all to do with **me**?" he called out now. "I am not an Angel or a Devil or whatever. I am not a member of this damn groups," he practically yelled. "So why in the world had Yuuma-chan suddenly... killed me?"

"You have a Sacred Gear inside of you," came the answer. "She had mentioned the term, right?" he asked. "It is, to put it simply, a weapon created by God.

It was created in first line as a defense for humanity from the supernatural. Sacred Gears are reincarnating themselves into human beings. That means a small number of humans are born with such a weapon sealed inside their bodies. You are one of them."

"So that is the reason? I was born with such a weapon inside me and she killed me just to make sure that I could never by sheer chance use it against her?" Issei began to understand the situation... Or at least a small part of it.

"Yes. But we were speaking about the ways to bring you back to life," Darian reminded him.

"So you **can** bring me back to life?" Issei responded.

"I can. But the truth is, I am not the only one who could do this. There is someone else who is planning to do the same thing. You remember what I have told you about the Devils?" `Darian´ asked him.

"You said that Rias Gremory-sempai is one of them?" He was still a bit unbelieving about the idea that one of the great `Onee-samas´ of his own school should actually be some sort of demonic creature.

"She is," he answered. "In fact she is one of the two leading Devils of this area. She, along with the one known as Sona Sitri has claimed this town as `her´ territory."

"Her territory?"

"Yes, without the consent or even the knowledge of most of the people who live here of course. But that is a moral question for another time," he stated. "She is the other person who is trying to revive you. I have however kept a hold to that for now."

"What! You mean you are actually **keeping** someone else from reviving me?" Issei exclaimed in shock. "Why in the world would you do that?"

"As I told you, her `help´ comes with a high price. If a Devil revives you, you become a Devil yourself... and automatically the servant of the one who did revive you in the first place," he explained to him. "But it seems Rias Gremory had no intention to tell you that until afterwards," he commented.

It was clear by his tone that he thought not very high about the Devils and their methods.

"She would essentially made you her slave... and if you would ever try to leave her the Devils would hunt you down and kill you. She knew who Raynare was and what she was planning since the day she had first contacted and asked you out and could have easily stopped her or warned you. But she decided to deliberately let you get killed so that she could force you to become part of her group of servants without having to ask you.

So I interfered to give you an actual choice."

After hearing this, Issei could only gulp again. He understood now that he meant when Darien said that there is more than just one group to look out for.

"For the moment I have moved you here... and this place is outside of your regular flow of time. That means we have time to talk. So that you can make you own decision. Now, are you finally ready to hear my offer?" he asked him.

"Yes... yes I am Darien-sama," Issei replied.

"You don´t have to call me that," he said. "I am not your master... unless you want me to be. And despite the power that I command, I **don´t** consider myself above you... or anyone else for that matter," he stated.

"Let me make one thing clear, If you want me to, I will bring you back to life anyway. No matter if you accept my offer or not. **My** help is not bound to such prices. Do you understand that?"

"Y...yes," Issei answered, still a bit insecure.

"And before you even ask that, the reason why **I** myself have not interfered and prevented your death is simple. As I told you, I am not truly here.

I have great power - nearly unlimited by your standards - but even that is not enough to interfere physically when my actual self is several dimensions away. To that comes that for certain reasons the influence of my group in your home-universe is somewhat limited. So all I was able to do was to summon your soul to this place."

Issei at this point just accepted that piece of information.

"Okay, I understand," Issei replied.

Well, at least this guy had an excuse for not keeping Yuuma from killing him, he thought. Being in another universe actually sounded like a quite good one to him.

"The offer I want to give you is simple. Do you want to join our group?"

"Join your group?" Issei repeated dumbfounded.

"Yes. We the Guardians are protecting all realities from threats, simply spoken... a duty given to us by the Force of Creation that formed **all** universes."

"So **that** is God then?" Issei questioned.

"Yes and no," he answered. "The entity that is in your world known as God, is actually a small part of this force that was separated from the whole to watch over your home-universe.

My power is in fact far above the God of your world. But it is still nothing compared to his true self that exists in all universes. That is actually connected to the reason **why** our influence in your world is limited. But that is again a tale for another time.

What you should know for now is this... Yes we are protectors, of this world like any other... and we are **at war**. There exists is an organization - no a force - at the other end of the spectrum. They are the **true** reason our group was formed a long time ago. To counter the threat that they present.

Their goals are in some sense the complete opposite to ours. **They** want to `reform´ the entire multiverse, by destroying everything that is flawed, failed or unworthy in their eyes... or just standing in their way. That means people, states, worlds, even entire universes, all is to be destroyed if it doesn´t meet their standards. This is actually yet another reason why I couldn´t help you in person. I am currently involved in a campaign in another universe.

The war between our two sides has been going on for thousands of years. It makes the so called Great War between the three Faction look like a small scale banter."

"And you want me to become part of **that**?" Issei called out in absolute shock and horror.

"Don´t misunderstand me. I **don´t** want you to join this war, at least not yet. Not for a long time.

What I offer you is this, fulfill one mission for us... or maybe two if you cannot make up your mind. It won´t be anything too dangerous, only dealing with minor threats for now. In exchange we will train you and help you to realize the power of your Sacred Gear.

One job, an easy one, that is all we ask from you and then we will properly train you and show you everything you need to know to protect you from **anyone** who would try to take advantage of you. After this one job you can then decide if you want to stay with us or not."

Issei had to admit it sounded better than anything else he had heard so far.

"If you refuse, I will bring you back just like the way you are," Darien told him. "But as I said... we are at war. You can understand that we simply don't have the time to train you if you don´t do at least one task for us," he stated.

"Okay," he thought it over, "I guess we can show you in any case the **basics** of your Sacred Gear´s power, even if you say no. We will leave you to defend yourself. But we will not train you to your full abilities. For that you would have to find someone else.

Your other options are to let the Devil reincarnate you and willingly become her servant. But then you will automatically get involved into **their** conflict instead. Or you can choose death and move on to whatever Afterlife the people of your home are being send to. I advise you to take some time and think it over."

"What kind of job?" Issei wanted to know.

"The job I want to give you is actually very close to home," he said. "Answer me one question. If you had the chance, would you go after Raynare... and Rias Gremory and **kill** them... if I offered you the power to do it? Think about it, the one who had murdered you and the one who had set you up to die. Would you destroy any of their subordinates who had helped them in their schemes and is standing in your way? Think about it and answer me."

Issei didn´t say anything for a few moments. Anger flew through him. He didn´t even know who he was more angry at, the one who had claimed to like him and then killed him without a second thought. Or the one who just sat back and let it happen, without getting her hands dirty, when she could easily have prevented it all.

Yes, a part of him wanted nothing more than get his hands around their throats. But... He suddenly saw their faces in his mind.

"No," Issei answered after a few moments. "I **won´t**. Despite everything I don´t want either of them to die. Or at least I don´t want to be the one to kill them. I am sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? You have passed the test," Darien told him. "We want protectors after all, not murderers. Even if the difference between both is sometimes slim."

"Test? Hey, does that mean you have been screwing with me right now?" Issei called out.

A part of him could not believe how easily he was now chatting with a being that, by his own words, surpassed God.

"I admit I did," he replied. "I needed to know how you **truly** feel and just scanning the surface of your mind is not enough.

The true job is this. We want you to keep an eye on Raynare... the one you know as Yuuma Amano. Find out everything you can about what she is doing. We suspect that she will soon target another Sacred Gear User. Do everything to protect this person from her... or from others.

We have reason to believe that there is someone else pulling the strings behind her actions, a organization that could become a greater threat in the near future.

Disrupt her plans and interfere with her actions wherever you can, Keep a hold on whatever she is doing. But don´t kill her or anybody else for that matter if it can be in any way avoided. We are not after Raynare, we want to find and expose whoever is hiding behind her."

"Moment," Issei said, "you want me to go pestering Yuuma?" A grin began to form on his face.

"I **knew** you would like that part," he responded. "If you want to call it that, then yes. Make her life harder, annoy her as much as you want, make sure her plans fail completely."

"But you don´t want me to kill her?"

"As I said, this is a low-threat mission, by our standards, so it should not be necessary to kill **anyone**... We are looking for information."

"You know something?" Issei said to him. "You have a deal."

"Are you sure?" he asked him.

"Well, from all possibilities your offer sounds like the best one. And I am certainly not willing to die yet."

"As you wish. There is however one last thing you should know. When I return you to life, a small part of my energy will remain inside you. For me this doesn´t mean much. The little bit of energy spend will restore itself quickly. But you, you will be different. This is a universal law that cannot be changed. Whenever a person is reincarnated, at least a small part of the force that reincarnated it stays inside this person. No matter what method is used.

You will still be human. But you will be stronger than before, have access to abilities and power that no `regular´ human would possess."

"Well, this is a good thing isn´t it?"

"Given your situation it is, yes. I only wanted you to understand that even I can't bring you back **exactly** like you have been before."

"It doesn´t matter. With this Sacred Gear thing inside me I was never completely normal anyway... and more power sounds very good actually."

"I see. Since you have accepted I will send you back now. When you have arrived, one of our agents in your world who is already somewhere in your town will contact you to give you more exact instructions and train you. For this I will plant a telepathic signal in your mind that she will be able to sense. So she will find you quickly and will remove it then later."

"She?" Issei asked hopefully.

"I know exactly what you are thinking," he responded sternly. "Yes, she is attractive... and you will have to talk with **her** about this topic."

"Okay," he grinned.

"I will send you back now. We will see each other again in the future Issei Hyoudou." Darian lifted one hand and pointed at him... and once again the world around Issei started to change.

 **xxxxxxx**

Issei awoke. He saw that he was still lying next to the fountain.

The wound that killed him however was gone. He decided not to stay here any longer and forced himself to stand up.

He tried to bring some distance between himself and the place he had died. Right now he truly didn´t want to meet any Fallen Angel or Devil, at least for today.

But somehow his legs just didn´t want to work correctly. Of course, he had just been dead. What did he expect? After a few hundred meters, he broke down again.

He was lying there for maybe a minute. Then he heard someone coming.

"It seems I have found you faster when I have thought," a voice spoke. "So you are the new recruit the boss has told me to find."

Issei realized that his worry was needless. This was obviously the agent that was send for him.

As he looked up he saw a young girl. She had brown hair that fell over her shoulders and was wearing black jeans and a light grey blouse and a black jacket, matching her pants, above it.

"You are the Guardian looking for me," he said.

"Yes I am... and what is your name?" she asked him

He saw that she also had a great pair of oppais. Yes, Issei thought, he truly **was** back.

* * *

 **This is my first story for Highschool DxD. I have been reading stories from this series in the last months. Since then different ideas that could be used for this universe came to me and I decided to write for it myself.**

 **My ideas came down to two concrete stories which I will probably post parallel to each other. Both stories have the same basic ideas, especially the multiple world angle.**

 **Not everything about this story here is truly new. Having Issei resurrected and joining someone else than Issei had been done before. But I am trying to go into a new direction with it.**

 **I am actually also recycling some ideas from my other fanfics. The entire concept of the Guardians for example had been mentioned in by Dragon Ball Z story Dragonball Alternates.**

 **xxx**

 **As you can guess from the first chapter, Rias and the ORC are not being shown in a purely positive light. But they won´t be antagonists either. There is a whole number of stories that recognize the BS Rias and her peerage are doing several times and bring it up.**

 **I mean what do we get in canon? Raynare is `evil´, she killed Issei. But everybody else is on purpose just standing around, not lifting a finger (in the hope to bring him back, but only against eternal servitute. With a very unsafe methode, which they don´t know if it will even work) and gets a freecard for it. That is only one example.**

* * *

Highschool DxD or anything related to it, doesn´t belong to me.


	2. Chapter 2: Return to daily Life (or not)

**Chapter 2**

Issei and the girl he had just met had now left the city-park. Or better said she had been literally dragging him around since he was still in a bad condition.

The problem was she couldn't figure out the reason for that. The reincarnation should have brought him back in perfect physical shape. So the problem had to lie somewhere else.

It was probably that his body just needed time to adjust to the change that happened to it. Yes, that had to be it.

 **xxx**

Now they were both standing together in a hotel room a few miles away where she had brought him. Issei was in the moment sitting at the side of the bed where she had laid him down when they arrived. She was standing right in front of him, trying to make out what was wrong with him.

Issei at the same time, at some level, realized mostly one thing... he was here, **alone in a hotel room** , with a **girl**... He was suddenly feeling even more uneasy than before... and it had absolutely nothing to do with his physical health.

"My name is Gaeriel by the way," she introduced herself. "You are Issei, wasn't that what you said?"

"Yes, Issei Hyoudou," he said with a grin. It was a grin that seemed... and was... a bit forced, thanks to him being nervous.

"I am looking out to getting to know you," she told him. "It is not every day that the boss decides to recruit someone right away from death."

This comment only caused him to blush. Obviously misunderstanding her intentions.

"I am glad to... ahm... to meet you too," he replied, stuttering. He was trying to look tough, but admittedly, he failed miserable.

In the moment there was in first line one thought prominent in his head - He was alone with a girl in a hotel-room.

"Good, I am glad that I have found you this quickly for my part," she responded. "Especially since you are not feeling well."

"You can say that," Issei stated. "But I guess I shouldn't complain, I have been dead after all."

"I see," she replied. "Physically you should have been in perfect state though after your reincarnation. So it has to be something else."

Suddenly she had another realization. "Issei, tell me, are you carrying something on your body, something that doesn't belong to you?" she asked him.

"Ah what?" he asked, his brain was still being rattled by his overall miserable state... and by his own lascivious thoughts that were coming to him.

"These Devils were trying to reincarnate you, right?" she questioned. "I just asked myself how they were even intending to find you in time to do that. The park is big and the entire town is even bigger... and they couldn't have followed you **that** close without the Fallen Angel noticing. Do you have something with you that doesn't belong to you?"

"Ahm, yes," he answered and took out the flyer he had been given earlier, showing it to her. "Someone gave me this before my date with Yuuma."

She took the piece of paper and took a short look at it.

"Interesting, you said they gave you this before your date with the Fallen... **directly** before?" she questioned.

"Yes," he replied.

"As I thought," she said, "this is a Summoning Card. A nice trick, you have to give that to these Devils. When you had been lying there dyeing and wished to stay alive, you would have activated this. Or if you had been just carrying around and thought of Rias Gremory, for whatever reason, she would have your exact location and could have appeared right next to you. Wherever you currently are."

"You mean, everywhere? Even here or at my home?"

"Yes, even in your own house. Nasty little buggers these Devils are, kind of like doorstep salesmen," she commented. "You just can't get rid of them. Not here though, since my apartment is protected."

Ironically a day ago he would have cheered at the thought that a girl like Rias suddenly showing up at his home. But now, knowing what she was... and that she had plans for him, it was completely different.

Another part of him was actually tempted to laugh about Gaeriel´s snide-remark.

"Okay, let us deal with that first," she stated. "I have an idea about what could be the reason. Can I take a quick look at you?"

"O... of course," he answered, now even more riled up. Once again obviously... or this time maybe rather **`willfully´... misinterpreting** her intentions.

"Okay, I have some idea what might have caused your current state," she said, taking one step closer to him. "But for that I need to take a closer look at your mental and physical... Hey, are you listening?" she asked him.

Issei was deep red in the face. She suddenly realized that he wasn´t listening to what she was saying at all.

Instead he was starring right at her chest... and that his hands were halfway outstretched in exactly **that** direction.

"Hey, **what** do you think you are doing?" she yelled at him now.

This seemed to have brought him back to reality.

"So you are **that** kind of guy," she remarked.

For a moment he thought she would actually punch him. But she got a hold on herself.

"Okay, you **were** chosen. So there is obviously something to you beside **that** ," she stated seriously, but still visibly annoyed. And obviously slightly frustrated that she had just now realized that the boy in front of her was a pervert.

" **Issei** ," she finally said, "could you please stop thinking about my boobs for five minutes and listen to me?" she told him.

"Okay. I think the reason you are feeling unwell is the change in your body after your resurrection and that the new powers you are developing because of it are not getting along with the ones that come from your Sacred Gear," she explained. "But I think I can help you synchronize both energies. It will be quite quick actually."

"Really?"

"Yes, but..." she answered. "... Issei, I will have to show you something... and you must promise me that you do anything to keep a hold on yourself... to stay calm."

"What! What do you mean?" Issei asked her.

"You should know, I have telepathic abilities," she told him. "Well, you will have probably too now. Since it was Darien who had revived you and he is one of the most powerful telepaths in all known universes.

What I want to try is to transfer information directly into your mind."

"Really?" Isse said stunned. "You can do something like that?... You know, maybe I could use that for school. That could be really useful." He chuckled a bit, trying to be funny, but not quite succeeding given the situation.

"I can. But it is not easy. The process costs a lot of energy... and I think I will only be able to do it when I am in my natural form, but..."

"Natural form? You mean, you are normally not really looking... ahm... like that?" Issei asked, trying not to get his hopes crushed.

"I certainly **do** look like this," Gaeriel responded, now slightly annoyed. "It is just. My true form might shock you. You have to remember, I am not gonna hurt you, no matter what I look like."

Once again Issei was surprised how easily he seemed to get along with a clearly supernatural being. This one here a hot girl on top of that.

"Oh come on," he said to her, "It can't be that bad, right?" He was laughing once again, this time less forced. "If you are still looking like this."

"Yes, my boobs are the same... a bit bigger actually," she replied, now with a grin on her face herself.

"Now, show me."

"Okay... but don´t say I didn't warn you." With this words she began to transform.

Her casual clothes were replaced with something that looked like a black colored combat dress... and without a warning two pairs of black colored feathered wings were ripping out of her back.

Yes, Issei thought it wouldn't frighten him, whatever she was. Now he realized he had been wrong.

His entire body froze. He could only stare at the girl before him.

Only one sentence was once again halling through his mind.

 _"Will you die for me?"_ he heard `Yuuma´ saying.

He saw into Gaeriel´s eyes, trying to ignore the black wings on her back... He should have suspected it sooner, he realized. Her eyes, they were violet, in a similar shade as Yuuma´s.

 **xxxxxxx**

At another part of the town two other high-school students were currently spending some of their own time.

This two were Issei´s two best friends Motohama and Matsuda. Both of them were from a similar mind-set as Issei himself and like he openly admitted it, that gave them under the students the nickname `the perverted trio´.

They had just left the game arcade. Matsuda was just mentioning a new porn dvd he had bought yesterday, not hentai anime for once, but real porn. Then they were suddenly interrupted...

"Hey boys, I have been looking for you," a quite obviously female voice addressed them.

They turned around, with a bit stunned expressions as they saw her. A girl as attractive as her calling to them on the streets or even talking to them wasn't something what happened to them usually. She had long dark hair, a beautiful face and a nice... no, more than nice figure, as they saw and bright, kind of violet colored, eyes. Both of them could literally feel their jaws hanging open.

Then they suddenly recognized her... with some clear disappointment.

"Wait, your Issei´s girlfriend, aren't you?" Motohama stated. "Yuuma, was it?"

"Yes, that´s right. It is nice that you remember me," she told them sweetly. "But sadly you won´t be for much longer."

Before either of them could even ask her what she meant with that... they were both suddenly feeling dizzy by looking in her eyes.

And then, a few moments later they had forgotten that she had ever existed.

 **xxx**

This was it, the Fallen Angel Raynare thought to herself. With erasing the memories of this two perverts, the last ties between her and Issei Hyoudou were cut.

All in all, she was happy that she had it behind her. Now that this obstacle was out of her way, she could continue to follow her real plan.

She remembered a human teenage boy, who had showered her with all kinds of affection... in his own naive way... and nearly instantly angrily suppressed it. Was she really **that** starved for attention? she asked herself.

It didn´t matter. In a few days she would have the key to everything she ever wished for and then she could happily forget everything what happened in this town.

 **xxxxxxx**

Issei could still only stare at the girl before him and her black wings.

"You... you are just like... Yuuma," he stammered, still in shock about seeing her like this.

"A bit... yes," she admitted.

"... Another Fallen Angel," he exclaimed.

"Technically I am an Angel... at least in some sense. I didn´t fell in the regular way. And I wasn´t born a Fallen. You know the one physical difference between an Angel and a Fallen Angel is the Divine Protection that they... that **we** ," she corrected herself, "...lack. Normally lost through sinful thoughts or actions," she explained. "I have given it up by myself. It was more practical that way."

He was just coming to terms with the revelation **what** she was... but couldn´t help to still feel warry of her.

"Moment, you mean you have caused yourself to fall?" he asked her. "Why would you do that?"

"I am a secret agent; you know? It is much more easy to infiltrate sinister organizations that are terrorizing the world, if you don´t radiate an aura of peace and love wherever you go," she commented.

Issei looked at her dumbfounded about this crazy sounding, yet completely logical explanation.

"Look," she continued, "I don´t want to scare you Issei. I know the last Fallen Angel you met had stabbed you, but just because I have black wings on my back doesn´t mean I am going to hurt you. Okay?"

"Okay," he just repeated.

"I will begin now," she said and reached out to him with one hand.

Issei could feel something... It was like fingers reaching into his mind. But not painful like you could imagine, just weird.

Then he suddenly felt as if he were in a different place and time. He could see pictures, hear people talk, but his conscious mind didn´t seem to know what to make out of it. It was all muddy... confused.

"Are you feeling better?" he heard her asking a short time later.

If he was honest Issei wasn´t even sure how much time exactly had passed... one minute, two? He had pretty much been out of it.

To his surprise however he realized that he suddenly had a basic understanding of energy manipulation... well, very basic. He knew how supernatural energies worked and was able to sense them.

Issei could feel both sources of energy inside of him... and was able to regulate them just good enough to keep them from hampering each other or from harming his body in the process.

"Yes," he answered, "I do feel better."

"Good," she said. "If that is all I will bring you home now. Then I will now start warding your house, in case your `school-mate´ Rias decides to show up here or maybe that your girlfriend finds out that you are still alive," she told him.

"Okay," he answered. Still feeling a bit weirded out by all of this.

"So you are the supernatural version of James Bond... with boobs," he heard himself saying.

She only stared at him for a few moments as she heard his comment, before she broke out into howling laughter.

"Yes, that is one way to put it," she finally said, between giggles. "You really are something Issei Hyoudou."

There was however something else she had noticed. The energy radiated by his Sacred Gear, it was not only extraordinary high... it was a very specific sort of energy... That of a Dragon.

There were a handful of Sacred Gears that there based on draconic power, as she knew... and only a few with this kind of power.

And for even less of them were the whereabouts unaccounted for, the so called Boosted Gear, the device where the Red Welsh Dragon was sealed into.

But there was only one way to be sure.

"Issei, can you activate your Sacred Gear?" she asked him. "You just need to concentrate. It should be quite easy, nearly like a reflex if you know how exactly to do it. Normally you should be able to figure it out by trying it by trial and error a few times. But it should already be part of the information that I just transferred into your head. So just try concentrating... and not to think of my breasts for a few minutes," she added.

Issei did what she told him. He even ignored her glorious figure right in front of him.

After a few seconds a strange red colored device that he had never seen before manifested itself on his arm.

"That is it?" he asked.

Gaeriel was focusing her mind on the Sacred Gear that had just appeared. On the first glance it had the look and also the readings of a normal Twice Critical. But she knew a few other ways to detect energies than any regular Fallen Angel would. She could see the enormous power hiding behind it.

"Yes, that is it," she said. "Congratulations, you are carrying the Boosted Gear, one of the strongest Sacred Gears in existence."

"Boosted Gear?"

"I will explain it to you. But I think we should leave it for today. You look as if you are already ready to fall asleep... and you have probably heard more than enough about the supernatural for one day."

"Yes, you can say that," he responded.

"I will bring you home now. There is something else, I think you shouldn´t go to school tomorrow. Not as long as you can't control your power and are vulnerable like this. When the Devils find out that you are alive, they will without a doubt want to interrogate you... and like you are now, they will probably squeeze every bit of information out of you that you have."

"Hey," he called out.

"Sorry, but that's how it is," she replied. "You can't even hide your power or shield your mind... unless you might be able to do it instinctively. Actually this will be under the first things I teach you.

We will spend the next day training and learning. Just tell your parents that you are sick. Given your condition a few minutes ago, that would not even be a lie."

"But if I tell them I am sick, how will we explain being out the entire day?" he questioned.

"Leave that to me," she told him, smiling.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Kuoh Academy, the Occult Research Club_

All in all, Rias Gremory was not really having a good day. Not that there was any danger or even serious problems for her.

It was simply that things were not going as she had planned... by far. And that made her feel uneasy, at least in this case.

But it was not only that. Something strange was going on here... she knew it.

"Have you found out something?" she asked her Queen Akeno, a.k.a her strongest servant, who had just entered the room.

Officially both of them were 3rd year students of Kuoh Academy, one year higher than Issei... in truth they were both High Class Devils and Rias for her part was a `pure blood´, a born Devil and the heir of one of the most powerful families, the sister of one of the Devil Kings... and one of the two Devils who laid claim to the territory of Kuoh.

"Sorry Rias, we have been searching the entire district for him," Akeno answered. "...Or maybe I should say for his **body**... fu fu..." she added. The sound of her voice and the grin on her face hinted that she was actually holding back a light laughter at her last comment.

For some reason this callous behavior infuriated Rias.

"Akeno!" she exclaimed angrily, "that is nothing to make fun about. He could be dead."

The plan in question was in this case the recruitment of a Sacred Gear user... none other than Issei Hyoudou, who had now vanished from their sight.

"What I am here... **Buchou**..." Akeno responded, pronouncing her title, "...is being **honest**." Her behavior as well made suddenly a 180 degree turn and she was now dead serious. "You **knew** the risk, but you still insisted that we do it this way. There was never a guaranty that Issei wouldn´t just throw the flyer into the next trash can. It you were worried about his safety; you should have thought about it earlier."

"But that is not what happened, he... the card was clearly being activated... for a moment at least... but then something cut it off..." Rias explained.

"That wasn´t my point," Akeno retorted visible irritated. "There had been a dozen things that could go wrong and he would die for good. And **now** you suddenly act all worried about him. You could have just asked him; you know?"

"It was easier this way."

"Easier for who exactly?" Akeno questioned.

It was not usual for this two to have a dispute like this. Despite being master and subordinate, they were the best friends. But since Issei Hyoudou had disappeared on them, she had developed a protective streak about their younger fellow student...

... now that it was probably **too late** to make a difference, a cynical part of Rias thought.

"If I remember right, **you** went along with it," she told her. "If you had problems with my plan you could have mentioned it a few days ago."

Akeno had to admit, she didn´t have anything to answer to that. Rias was right... at least in this point. If she had any problem with that crazy plan of hers, she should have made her position clear far earlier... before **this** had happened.

"We will continue to look for him," she stated. "But if we don´t find him, we must go by the idea that the Fallen Angel had probably fulfilled her mission."

"I know," Rias said.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The next day_

Issei and Gaeriel were standing in front of each other. They were a few miles outside of the town border, outside of the Devil´s or the Fallen Angel´s reach.

Both of them were not keeping an eye off each other... both of them were wearing dark colored combat clothes and holding swords in their hands.

Gaeriel had shown up once again the next this morning and transported them here. His parents thought he was going to school.

Actually he had told his mother at first that he was not feeling well and asked her to write an apology letter for school. A short time later Gaeriel appeared, claiming to be a fellow student... and made her forget that she had ever written the letter.

Then she transported them here and they started their training.

In the beginning she had first let him run a few rounds around the place, while carrying a weighted backpack. To be honest he hadn´t thought that he would be able to carry this even for a hundred meters, but as it looked he had grown stronger through his reincarnation.

 _"Raising up your stamina is one of the keys to control your Sacred Gear," she had told him. "The stronger you are physically, the longer you will be able to keep it activated."_

He saw that he meant as he first tried keeping it activated for a longer time and then nearly collapsed from exhaustion after a few minutes.

What followed afterwards was some basic combat-training. Gaeriel had brought the two blades along since she wanted to teach him at least a few lessons in the use of weapons.

Then followed by basic energy manipulation. One lesson of course how to conceal your presence from others, as she had promised. Then followed by another round of keeping your Sacred Gear activated for as long as possible. This time with getting involved in hand to hand combat at the same time.

Beside that she had also explained the ground principles of telepathy to him.

The more advance stuff in all areas, as she told him, would follow later.

With Gaeriel´s ability to transfer raw information directly into his mind, he was learning incredibly fast. It was however a question of his own mind really understanding and mastering these skills. There was a difference of `knowing´ how to do something and truly knowing it. And there was of course the question of his body needing to keep up with the knowledge.

Gaeriel had however also told him that she would do this only a few time in the best case... something about it being too risky otherwise.

By now it was already getting late afternoon. He had spent the greatest part of the day training.

In between they had taken several long breaks, a few of them of nearly one hour. But Issei was still feeling exhausted like never before in his life.

 _"I knew it, you are also trying to kill me," he actually said to her as a joke at one point, as he was sweating under another round of endurance workout._

 _"I actually might if you don´t try harder," she responded. Also obviously making fun._

The breaks, they had used for several verbal lessons. Like the history of his Sacred Gear, the fact that it actually had a Dragon sealed inside... a fucking Dragon... the basic lines how it worked.

Then a more detailed version of the history of the Guardians... along with some information about the universe where their organization was founded. Some facts about the group who seemed to be their main enemy and had their roots in the same universe like them.

Then came more history of the three Factions and the Great War and similar things.

"So you are telling me that this Dragon... Ddraig... is actually living inside me?" he wanted to clarify once again.

"In a sense, through the Boosted Gear, he is at the very least bonded to your soul."

"And he is more powerful than a god?"

"Yes... more powerful than most of them... in this universe at least. But that doesn´t mean that **you** are Issei. I have explained to you how it works. For now, you can only draw small amounts of power from it... until you learn how to draw more and be strong enough to hold it with your body."

"Yes... for now it just doubles my power every ten seconds," he replied.

"Very soon you will probably be able to draw more boosts at will and maybe even unlock the higher powers of the Gear," she told him.

"Will I then also be able to do such incredible things like creating a dimension out of thin air or conjuring souls from other universes?" he asked.

She grinned.

"Maybe not exactly that, but you **will** have incredible powers," she stated. "But I will hardly be the one to teach you all that. Despite that you may think of me, I am not a cosmic level powerhouse like our leaders. I am just a regular field agent and just a little bit stronger than a normal Fallen Angel of my level. The Guardians had just showed me a few tricks that I learned. And I am not that long in the organization myself," she explained. "If I am honest, if it had not been for them, I would have probably fallen anyway, in the regular way."

"Would you then also have such a bitch like Yuuma?" The question had slipped through his lips before he noticed the sad look on her face as she said this. In the next moment he wanted to kick himself.

"Believe me, being a Fallen Angel is not easy," she answered. "I might have been worse."

"Then I am truly glad that you met them," he said.

"So am I. You truly want to return to school tomorrow?" she asked him.

"Yes. I guess I just don´t want to miss everything because of **this**."

"You are deeper than someone would first think... if only you want to," she commented. "Well, I think you can go now. I have thought you just enough that no Devil will take easy advantage of you."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Kuoh Academy, the following morning_

Issei was standing one again in front of his school. This time however he was visible nervous.

This had to be a first, he thought... actually afraid to go to school. But normally you also wouldn´t have to deal with a bunch of Devils who were trying to `recruit´ you and were now probably going to at the very least ask you a lot of questions. Questions he certainly didn´t want to answer... and that certainly weren´t their business in the first place.

"Hyoudou, are you okay?" he heard someone asking him.

"Ahm, hello Murayama," he greeted her as he recognized one of his classmates. One who was the captain of the kendo-club who he had been caught peeking on two days ago on top of that.

"I have noticed that you were missing yesterday..." she told him, "...and now I have seen you just standing here for nearly a minute. Are you alright? I mean, you weren´t missing yesterday because we... you know... had beaten you up too badly... weren´t you?"

"What?" He was a bit dumbfounded by this strange apology... He remembered the trashing he got from the entire kendo-club after they got him... and sympathy from Murayama was about the last thing he had expected.

"No... no," he replied, "I was just sick yesterday. You had nothing to do with it. But thanks for your concern," he stated honestly.

"Okay, then I guess I will see you in class Hyoudou," she said and turned to leave.

"Wait!" he told her. "I wanted to say I am sorry for peeking on you this last time... I will try to tone it down in the future." Since I have tons of other things to worry about now, he thought silently. "But I can't promise to leave it out completely... because you are just too pretty." What the hell? Why have I just said this, he thought.

Now it was her turn to look at him with an open mouth. For a short moment she actually seemed to be blushing.

"You know something Hyoudou, maybe you would actually have more luck with the girls if you were a bit more like this more often," she told him, before leaving for class...

... leaving Issei with a few things to think about.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The Occult Research Club - a short time later_

Koneko came suddenly running into the room. She was actually too late for her first class this day, but this here was more important.

"Issei... Issei Hyoudou," she told them, "he is back. I have just seen him in the corridor on the way to his class."

Rias and Akeno were looking at each other in surprise. They had already been so far to consider him dead, after they hadn´t found him and he had not appeared yesterday. And secretly they had already been waiting for the police to find his body somewhere or for his parents to declare him missing.

What in the world has happened?

"I think we should talk to him as soon as possible," Rias stated.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _A few hours later_

Issei was walking through the streets on his way home. Then he would meet with Gaeriel again a short time afterwards, for some more training.

He was still thinking about the conversation he had with the Devils a few hours before and the one with Murayama before that one... and about all what happened during the last two days.

 **xxx**

As he had seen Matsuda and Motohama at school, he had brought up Yuuma, without telling them that she was his girlfriend however, as Gaeriel suggested. As if she was only a girl he had met. Just as she had predicted, they could not remember her.

Then Kiba Yuuto of all people, probably the most popular male student... at least under the girls, had appeared in Issei´s class and invited him to a meeting with the Occult Research Club, which as he knew now was probably just a cover for Rias Gremory´s Devil peerage.

Kiba was a Devil as well, he could feel it. He was someone Issei, along with his two friends, had hated out of principle alone two days ago, called the `Prince of the school´, swarmed and admired by nearly all girls. Yes, exactly the kind of guy the Issei from two days ago would have despised. Now he wasn´t so sure what to think of him.

He had accepted the invitation. There was hardly a way to avoid them for long. So he could also bring it behind him. What followed was the interrogation session that Rias Gremory called a conversation.

Gaeriel had been right. He would have been screwed if he came here yesterday.

 **xxx**

With such things in mind Issei was walking along the streets. Until he suddenly sensed something.

Another presence was here. It didn´t feel like a Fallen Angel or the Devils, but somehow different. He couldn´t quite place it.

As he looked around he saw the source. It was a young girl, sitting on a bench at the side of the sidewalk. She had long blonde hair... she was really cute actually, he thought... and was wearing a nun outfit. A Nun? he asked himself.

"Oh excuse me," she asked as she saw Issei looking at her, "could you please tell me how I can get to the church?"

Issei didn´t understand the language she was speaking.

 **xxxxxxx**

"Has she arrived yet?" Raynare asked.

"No," the other Fallen Angel, a tall blue haired woman, next to her answered. "Who exactly was this Sacred Gear user again?"

They were both standing at the area surrounding the abandoned church that served them as their local base.

"Asia Argento, an excommunicated Nun... and the wielder of the **Twilight Healing** ," Raynare answered. "Lord Kokabiel had arranged for her to be placed under our care."

"And the other guy we are waiting for?"

"Freed Selzen, Stray Exorcist... a complete lunatic going by his records. But he had been assigned to watch over her. Yet for some reason that idiot had insisted that they travel apart from each other," Raynare cursed, "and now she had gotten lost on us. Go look for her Kalawarner and bring her here."

"Okay Raynare," she answered, while spreading her wings and flying off.

* * *

 **The conversation between Issei and Rias will be shown completely as flashback in the next chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3: The third day

**Chapter 3**

Issei didn´t actually understood a single word of what the girl in front of him was saying. He wasn´t even completely sure which language she was speaking. Only that he certainly didn´t knew it.

But somehow, he couldn´t quite explain it himself, he had a good guess what she was talking about.

To that came the strange feeling that he had in her presence, that caught his attention about her in the first place. Whatever it was, she was clearly not an average person.

 **["Look at her,"]** Issei suddenly heard a voice talking in his head, **["concentrate."]**

Nearly instinctively, he did what the voice was saying. To be honest, it wasn´t the first time that he heard it.

"I am sorry. I just thought you could help me," he heard the girl saying.

Issei realized that he suddenly understood her. But how?

Telepathy... of course. Didn't Gaeriel said that he had this power? Yes, that must be it.

"I would really like to help you," he answered, hoping that the Nun would understand him as well.

"Oh, you can understand what I am saying," the girl called out now, visibly happy.

"Oh... well, yes I do," he said, himself being surprised about that fact. "I am Issei, Issei Hyoudou."

"I am Asia Argento," she introduced herself in return. "It is nice to meet you. I wanted to ask you if you could help me find the church."

"Find the church?" Issei asked perplexed. A Nun trying to find the church? That was certainly something new, he thought. But the only church in the town was...

"...I... I have just arrived in this town today... and... I kind of got lost," she admitted shyly. "I have been walking through the town for hours. Please help me."

Issei truly didn´t knew what to think about that.

"Asia, there is only one church in the town. But it had been abandoned years ago. Are you sure that you want to go there?"

"Yes, I want to. I have been asked to go there for my new mission," she stated.

"Okay," Issei just said.

He had to admit, there was something about this girl. And it was not just the strange energy he felt from her. No, somehow she just seemed to radiate kindness and compassion. He wasn´t sure. Maybe that he knew this had to do with this telepathy he was developing. Or maybe Asia was just that kind of girl where you could see that she had a good heart.

But... a part of him suddenly painfully realized... he had thought the same way about Yuuma. At the first look, she had seemed like that too.

Yuuma... Raynare, he said to himself... why did that stupid bitch even had to go out to kill him like that. She had told him that he was a threat to her. Why? Only for the cheer chance that he would one time side against them?

Hah... he thought, had she not killed him in the first place, he would have just continued his life with going to school every day, spending time with his friends and trying to peek on girls. He wouldn´t have to worry about people trying to kill him or about having this Devils in his neck and their attempts to `recruit´ him.

And by the way, if he truly was that dangerous, why had she never tried to bring him to **her** side? She was in the perfect position. He would have done anything for her. Was he not worth to bother in her eyes? Bitch.

Suddenly he realized what in hell he was thinking. What the heck? He didn´t **want** to join Yuuma and whatever crazy group she was part of. Damn it. He had already joined the good guys. Or at least as close to the `good guys´ as he could get.

"Issei, is everything alright?" he heard Asia´s voice asking him. "You looked as if something is truly worrying you."

He concentrated on her and tried to push any thought about Raynare out of his mind... for now. She truly sounded concerned about him, despite knowing him only for a few minutes.

"It´s alright Asia," he answered. "I just had to think about something. Hey Asia, do you want some ice-cream?" Issei asked her suddenly. He saw that they just came across a parlor.

"I... I would like to. But I still have to go to the church. They are waiting for me," she replied. But at the same time her eyes were drifting off to the ice cream shop next to them.

"I see you really want to." Issei started to laugh a bit. "Tell me, have they even given you a special time when you have to arrive?"

"No, but..."

"Then you can also take a few minutes longer, don´t you think? It will hardly make a difference now, right?"

He pointed at one of the tables in front of the shop and gestured for her to sit down.

"If you think so Issei," she said and smiled at him.

"Hey it is you," they heard another voice. It was a little boy who had been sitting at one of the neighboring tables.

Issei didn´t recognize him, but Asia seemed to know the boy.

"I wanted to thank you for what you did for me earlier," he said to her. "Is this your boyfriend?" the boy asked her, causing both of them quite some embarrassment.

"No... no, I am a Sister of the Church," she stammered. "I cannot have a boyfriend." Asia´s face turned downwards. For some reason, she was looking even more ashamed than before.

"He is just showing me the way through the town," she said quietly.

Along with the words `Sister of the Church´, Issei felt a wave of pain coming that he knew didn´t belong to him. Asia, he thought... there was something not right... and he intended to find out what.

It was in this moment that Issei was looking at her, truly looking at her like he would at any other girl. She was pretty, even if she wasn´t really the type of girl he would normally go after. Okay, he would go after every girl, he admitted. She just wasn´t the type he would normally imagine.

Asia had very big bright blue eyes and long blonde hair, an incredible cute face. Her breasts were quite small, but they seemed to be nice looking from what he could make out form the way they were shaping up beneath her clothes. Still the Nun outfit made him feel a bit uneasy. Issei froze and became red in the face as he suddenly realized that he was thinking about her in **that** way... and she **was** a Nun.

His mind turned back to reality.

"She has helped you?" Issei asked the boy.

"Yes, I fell and was injured. But then she came and she healed me."

"Healed you?" Issei repeated, thinking about Asia giving him first aid.

"Yes, just like that. Isn´t that cool?" the boy asked. "She is truly an Angel," he said.

In opposite to what most would think however, his words caused only another stab in Issei´s heart. An Angel, yeah right. Yuuma´s face flashed once again into his mind.

The boy was still talking to Asia for a few minutes, as they all had sat down.

Asia, she truly **was** a good person. Meeting this boy had only confirmed it. She was friendly. She took the time to help an injured little boy, while she herself was walking around in a town she didn´t knew. She even seemed to show true concern for him, a guy she had just met and who had just offered to help her out.

Besides that, he just knew. Whatever kind of power he was developing, it allowed him to take a short at what was inside her mind. He had to say she was the most kind and innocent person he had ever met.

After a few minutes the little boy who had been talking with them returned to his own table.

"Issei, there is something I want to ask you," Asia addressed him.

"Yes?" he replied, curious what she would say.

"Would you be my friend?" she asked.

Whatever question Issei had been expecting, **this** was not it.

"Your friend?"

"Yes, the truth is... I never had a friend before."

"What? How can that be? I mean, you are clearly the nicest girl I have ever met."

"Thank you," she replied, blushing visibly. "It is just... I was raised by the Church. I never had any family... and then... then I had this gift."

"A gift?" he asked.

"Yes, a gift from God. I can heal people, just by wanting it. When the Church found out about it, I was declared a Holy Maiden and that meant I couldn´t have any friends. I was always alone," she stated.

Issei wasn´t exactly sure what to think about this `gift´. Maybe it had something to do with the energy he was feeling from her. But he was sure about one thing. He was saddened for Asia than anyone before. And he would do everything to make her feel better.

"Of course I will be your friend," he told her... and he meant it.

"Thank you Issei," she answered. The smile she gave him was heartwarming.

But another question he had been asking himself was eating at him. Was he, at least on some level, using Asia to distract himself from thinking about Yuuma? Was he somehow using Asia to get over her?

No, he promised himself, he would not. Asia deserved far better than to be treated like this. Hell, not even Yuuma deserved that. He suddenly remembered her killing him. Okay, maybe she **did** deserve it. But he would still not act like this. He would be Asia´s friend and for her own sake, not to make himself feel better.

"So this is where you are," he heard a voice he knew all too well saying. "I have already been looking for you."

"Gaeriel," he said.

"Yes," the Fallen Angel who was training him replied, "I thought we wanted to meet when your school was over?"

"I am sorry. I sort of... forgot," he stated. He knew how weak of an excuse that was.

"This is Asia," he introduced her, "I have met her in town," he said. "Asia," he turned to her, "this is Gaeriel, she is a friend of mine. We actually wanted to meet, but then I met you and..."

"Sorry Issei, I didn´t want to cause any trouble for you," she replied.

"It... it is no trouble at all Asia. Right Gaeriel?" he asked.

But then he realized that she was only starring at Asia without saying anything.

"Gaeriel?" he asked again.

"Issei, could I speak to you alone for a moment?" she responded.

"Of course. I will be back in a minute Asia," he said to her.

"Okay Issei," she replied.

He and Gaeriel were walking a short distance away.

"Issei, do you realize just who this girl is?" she asked him.

"What do you mean? She is Asia. We have just met and become friends. She is a Nun from Europe... and she told me that she had a `gift of healing´ from God and became a holy maiden."

"Issei, don´t you get it? **She** is the Sacred Gear user we have been looing for the entire time... and you have just run right into her."

He was now looking at Gaeriel with his mouth open. It all made sense, her healing people just by thinking about it. The strange energy radiating from her.

Issei slapped his hand in his own face.

"I am truly an idiot," he stated. "How could I not figure this out by myself?"

"You may be and idiot," she responded, smiling warmly at him, "but if, then you are for sure an incredible lucky one."

 **xxx**

So Issei got a few answers about some of his questions regarding Asia Argento.

But what exactly was this voice that he kept hearing? he asked himself. This wasn´t even the first time that it suddenly appeared.

 **["Have you still not figured it out... Partner?"]** he now heard the same voice asking him.

"You! Who are you?" Issei asked. "Moment... Partner?... You are this Dragon... Ddraig."

 **["Yes I am."]** he confirmed. **["After this Fallen Angel has informed you which Sacred Gear you carry; I think this guess shouldn´t have been so hard."]**

"I just didn´t expect you to simply speak to me... at least not so early," Issei responded.

 **["True. Thanks to the telepathic abilities you are developing it is far easier for us to communicate as it would normally be. They surpass the ones of any Angel or Devil I know of by far.]** Dgraig admitted.

 **["Aside from that, your powers are developing in an incredible speed now. I have to say, even I am impressed."]**

Issei remembered what happened during his visit to the Occult Research Club.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Kuoh Academy, a few hours earlier_

The last class was just over. As they had agreed Kiba Yuuto was waiting for him just outside of the room.

"Kiba," he addressed him, "you said Rias Gremory-Sempai wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes," he answered, "she is truly interested to meet you. Are you ready to come?" he asked him.

"Of course," Issei replied. Let us bring it behind us, he thought silently.

Around them a few students were staring at them. They couldn´t understand what a lady like Rias Gremory could want from a known pervert and troublemaker like Hyoudou... and were now forming a small crowd around them.

Others were unsettled for a slightly different reason.

"Okay dude, tell me... what did you do to make someone like Gremory-Sempai even remotely interested in you?" Matsuda shouted at him.

"Yes, tell us," Motohama fell in.

"Guys... it is not like you are thinking," Issei replied. "She just wants me to join her club, that is all. Tell them Kiba."

"That is true," he confirmed.

"I still don´t see why someone like Gremory-Sempai would even show interest in someone like Hyoudou, even if it is **only** for her club," Katase stated, obviously skeptical why such an `exclusive´ club would be interested in someone like him.

The pink haired girl was a member of the kendo-club and the best friend of Murayama, who was standing next to her at the moment.

Issei heard her words. He knew that many in school thought like that. But now, he couldn´t help to get angry. A few days back he would have also been flattered... and to be honest, amazed... if Rias had done so much as even looked in his direction. But now?

The girl was a Devil for Heaven´s sake... a manipulative bitch who didn´t give as much as a second thought about standing by idle and letting him die by the hands of another manipulative bitch. So that she could turn him into her servant without having to ask him. And **now** she was expecting him to just come to her when she called him? While his own classmates acted as if he was not even worth it.

She was the one who wanted him for her group. She was the one who would not leave him alone. So why in the world where they acting as if he was the one who did not `deserve´ it?

Oh, he knew perfectly well why. Because she was Rias Gremory and he was only a member of the perverted trio. He knew to a part he had to thank himself for this. Given how he normally acted, he shouldn´t be surprised that some of the others reacted like this.

"Listen Katase," he said, his voice was grim and slightly shaking from suppressed anger, "whatever Rias Gremory wants from me, it is not your damned business. You always beat me down for not respecting your `privacy´. But you can obviously not accept mine. **She** is the one who had asked **me** to come goddamnit. So why am I being the one here questioned like some sort of criminal over this?"

Everyone around was now starring at him a bit different after his outburst. A few actually slightly ashamed, as if it had never crossed their minds to see things like that.

"Come on Katase, you have to admit Hyoudou has a point here," Murayama now stated. "This is simply not our business. We want **him** to respect our privacy as well after all... especially in our **locker rooms** ," she said then with a sharper voice in Issei´s direction.

This brought back a grin on the faces of some of the surrounding students.

"You have to admit we are acting a bit stupid here," Murayama stated. "Let´s leave Hyoudou alone and take care of his own things."

"Thanks Murayama," he said.

"Do we go now Issei?" Kiba asked him.

"Yes."

They left the rest of the students behind, a few of them still whispering with each other. A few were looking after them, especially Murayama, Katase and Issei´s two friends.

Kiba was leading him through the school, right to the club-room of the Occult Research Club.

Issei had never been at this part of the school campus before. So he probably wouldn´t have found it on his own. Kiba opened a quite opulent looking double door and led him through.

The interior of the club room was more or less like Issei would have imagined it. The room was large, but looked cozy and comfortable... a bit luxurious... and maybe a bit old fashioned.

He recognized the other members of the club, who were sitting on a couch before him, Akeno Himejima, a third year like Rias Gremory herself and another one of the most popular girls at school and Koneko Toujou, an also well-known first year.

Both of them were Devils. The energy he felt from them was very similar to Kiba´s.

The only person he could not see was the club-president... a.k.a the chief Devil, he thought sarcastically.

"Buchou will arrive in a minute Issei-kun," Akeno said to him. "Why don´t you sit down?"

Issei´s eyes wandered between a free place on the couch between te two female Devils... and an empty armchair close by. Standing at the opposite end of the table to another one where Kiba was just sitting down.

After a few moments of hesitation... mostly because he got a good look at Akeno´s figure, Issei chose the armchair instead of nest to her and Koneko.

"It is nice to meet you Hyoudou-kun," Akeno welcomed him.

"Thank you Akeno-sempai, the same to you," Issei replied. "May I ask where Rias-sempai is? She is the one who invited me after all."

"Oh, she will come any moment," Akeno answered. "Why don´t we talk to each other for a while."

Issei had to admit he was nervous. He was surrounded by Devils. Devils who obviously wanted to recruit him for their team and had no qualms about the methods how. Who had no idea what had happened to him and he had no way to know how they would react.

In opposite to Asia, he had no real insight into the feelings and motivations of this supernatural beings. It was as if something about them was blocking his newly developed sixth sense.

"I see you have arrived Hyoudou-kun," he was greeted by Rias Gremory who had just arrived.

He felt his jaw fall down as he took a look at her. She was wearing nothing but a towel. Beneath it, he could see, she was completely naked.

"I am happy that you could make it," she told him. "I am sorry you had to wait, but as you see I came just out of the shower."

Issei was caught between his urge to look at her body and being gobsmacked about her actually thinking he would buy it that it was a coincidence that she just `happened´ to shower while he arrived here.

Still as he saw the form of her body lining up under the towel, for a split second he began to doubt if it had not been a mistake **not** to join her - before he came back to his senses.

"What did you want to talk with me about Gremory-sempai?" he asked.

"Please wait a minute, I want to get myself clothed first. I can hardly change right here in front of you, right?" She gave him a smile that normally would drive him insane, had he not been so nervous about the situation he was in... and that not because her lack of clothes.

Akeno, would you help me here?" she asked.

About a minute later it was over and a fully clothed Rias Gremory was sitting in front of him.

"Tell me Issei, is everything alright?" she asked him. "I have heard that you have been missing school yesterday."

"I am okay. I was just not feeling well the last day," he replied.

"Really?" she asked knowingly. "Issei, you can talk with me openly..." something in her voice changed, "... I know that something happened to you during your date two days ago. I'm not sure what exactly it was."

"What? How do you know that?" he asked innocently. "How do you even know I was on a date?"

Yes, how would you? unless of course you had me followed the entire time, he thought silently. He knew all that already, but he didn´t let it show.

"Issei," she said, "I want to tell you the whole truth. I was trying to protect you."

"Protect me?" he asked incredulous. This time his surprise was not entirely faked.

"I have heard that you have been asking about a girl named Yuuma Amano. That nobody could remember her?"

"Yes," he simply replied. "Everybody claimed that I must just dreamed her up or something," he said with a light grin.

"I assure you that she certainly exists," Rias answered. She stood up and picked something from her desk, that she handed him. It was a photo. It showed him and Yuuma walking together on a street. He took in the details. He knew when this was.

Whatever reaction the Devils had hoped to achieve, the one they would get was the exact opposite.

"Issei," Rias continued, "...the truth is... I am a Devil."

Once again he was somewhat surprised about her open admission, but pretended not to believe her.

"Oh, that is a good one Rias-sempai," he said and forced himself to laugh.

As and answer, she just materialized her wings. Interesting, he though, they were different from the ones of the Fallen Angels. More bat-like instead like the ones of birds.

"Oh, okay... I guess this has to convince me," Issei stated. "So you are really a Devil."

She nodded.

"You should know there are three Great Factions, the Devils, the Angels and the Fallen..."

She essentially repeated the same story about the Factions and the Great War he had already heard... and told him once again about the Sacred Gears and that Yuuma was a Fallen Angel. All in all, nothing new there. Then, however she came to a part he found interesting. She mentioned how Fallen Angels were sometimes hunting down and killing Sacred Gear users.

"I was pretty sure that she was trying to kill you," Rias said in this moment. "So I interfered to save you. I send someone to give you a certain flyer before your date started. You remember that, right?"

Now Issei was the one nodding at her.

"Inside of it was a so called Summoning Card. If you were dying and wished to stay alive, you would have activated it and it would have allowed me to transport myself to you. I could have saved your life then by turning you into a Devil. You would have become my servant and could have joined our club. I would have protected you from then on. I am still willing to if you accept." She let him take in her words.

"But something went wrong. I don´t even know what it was," she admitted. "I know your life was in danger Issei. But something happened and kept me from helping you. I know that something happened during your `date´. I wanted to ask you what it could have been?"

Issei stood up from the place he was sitting.

"You know," he said, looking at the photo that showed him and Raynare, "I remember this. It was on the day when I first met her, several days **before** our date. Why exactly do you have such a picture?" he asked her pointedly. "How long exactly have you known who Yuuma was?"

Rias didn´t answer for a few moments, obviously not expecting such a question. She also didn´t expect Issei Hyoudou, a normal highschool student, to call out someone who had just revealed herself to be a Devil like that.

"So let me get this straight," Issei pointed out. "You have known about her for days. You have just told me that you expected her to kill me. Yet you didn´t warn me. You could have send Kiba to get me a few days ago and told me all this. Instead you **chose** to let me get murdered and then try to turn me into a Devil and into your servant. And you call **that** saving me?"

Rias was now dumbfounded, not only because of his answer that was by far not what she had expected, but also because he should have still been in shocked about the revelation what she was, that a supernatural being was standing right in front of him. Instead he barely seemed to react to it. Did he maybe already know what they were and was just acting along?

Or maybe Hyoudou wasn´t who he claimed to be, another thought came to her.

"You already knew what we are, didn´t you?" she asked him.

Now it was Issei who didn´t say anything for a few seconds. Everybody else looked similar surprised about this.

"Yes," he finally admitted.

"She **did** try to kill you. But somehow you survived and found out about everything," Rias concluded.

"In some sense yes," he stated.

"You know; we could still protect you from the Fallen Angels. If you would join my peerage we can keep them from ever attacking you again," she told him.

"So now you are actually trying to ask me. **Now** ," he responded. He could barely believe the nerve of that girl... and he could not believe that he used to look up to her so much, just like everybody else at this school.

"Look Issei," she said, "I know we are not perfect. Far from it, I know that. But the Fallen Angels have tried to kill you, you admitted that yourself and they might try again. So you should at least consider it. Even if you are angry at me, we are still the only ones in the town who can protect you from them."

"You think so?" he replied. A moment later he realized that he had probably said too much.

"What do you mean by that?" she questioned.

"I don´t have to tell you anything," he said.

"Issei, this town is my territory. If someone else is active here, I should know about it."

"Your territory... your territory?" he exclaimed, "if this is your territory why didn´t you bother to lift a finger when I was killed?" Too late he realized **what** he had just let slip.

"What?" Rias asked, the others were looking at him in open surprise as well. He just admitted that he indeed died.

"Yes, I guess there is no longer a reason to hide it," Issei admitted. "There is someone else out there, someone who **don´t** expect a price like eternal servitude for saving a life. They let me **decide** if I want to join them or not."

"And will you?" she asked.

"I am not sure yet," he answered truthfully.

"There is still one more thing," Rias told him. "After all you have just said, how can we be sure that you are still the same person as two days ago?"

"What do you mean?" he questioned.

"Maybe you have been... replaced," she stated. "Imagine someone could have killed or captured the real Issei Hyoudou and replaced him with some sort of double, an infiltrator. Kiba," she said.

 **["Move."]** Issei suddenly heard a voice in his head. He saw that Kiba suddenly had a sword in his hand and was swinging it in his direction.

Before Issei was even fully aware of it, his body reacted. His Sacred Gear materialized on his arm.

It was a simple test, Kiba on his part knew. He was supposed to stop his blade just a short distance in front of Hyoudou´s throat. Just to make completely sure that he hadn´t been, as Buchou said, replaced. But things turned out a bit different.

Issei heard the voice again. **["Boost, boost, boost ."]** it repeated this simple word. He easily blocked Kiba´s sword with his Sacred Gear, nearly on instinct... and then landed a hard punch on the obviously surprised Devil. This punch was much stronger than anything a regular human should be capable of and send Kiba flying through the room.

Issei´s own energy was now showing itself. To all their surprise however, it seemed still human... only incredible powerful.

Koneko had already moved to help her comrade. But suddenly she noticed something. Hyoudou was not simply using his Sacred Gear, he was also using some form of Senjutsu... or something very similar... a form that she had never heard of before. And that realization made her stop in her tracks in complete shock. She instead kept her distance and was just watching Hyoudou carefully.

"Who... what are you?" Rias asked now, completely unsettled as well over the display.

What the hell was that? Issei thought nearly at the same time. That voice... and he could barely believe what he just did to Kiba of all people.

Akeno was looking at Kiba, who to their relief didn´t seem to be injured.

"I assure you that I am Issei Hyoudou... not as you said, an impostor," he told her. "But the people who have resurrected me have also shown me how to activate my Sacred Gear... and they teached me `other things´ to protect me from the Fallen Angels... and from you."

"You don´t need protection from us," Rias exclaimed. "We are not trying to kill you. This here was just a test."

"No," he answered, "you are just standing by and let others do it... and then try to turn me when I can no longer refuse. I have seen nothing that convinced me that you wouldn´t also go **one step** further. Right now I see little difference between you and them."

She visibly flinched at his words.

"I am sorry," she told him.

"So am I," Issei responded. "I can assure you one thing, the people who have brought me back are not planning anything against you... and neither do I," he added. "I am not your enemy Rias and I don´t want to be. But I **won´t** join you. So please stop following me around and spying on me. I will leave now. Or do you have another question?"

"No," she answered.

"Well, that couldn´t have gone any worse," he heard Akeno commenting, as he had just left the room.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Now_

Back in the present, he and Gaeriel, were still standing together close to the ice-cream parlor where Asia was waiting for them, talking with each other.

"Issei, someone is coming," Gaeriel stated. "Do you sense it?"

"Yes, is it...?"

"Someone like me," she said.

"Raynare... or a member of her team," Issei stated. On some level he noticed that for the first time he had called her by her true name.

"And they are here for Asia," he realized.

"Yes," Gaeriel answered. "We better get ready. Issei", she proclaimed, "I have an idea."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _A short time later_

Issei was once again sitting with Asia in front of the small shop. Gaeriel was close by, but not openly to see.

From some distance away however, another new pair of eyes was watching them.

Kalawarner had to say, she was not exactly in a good mood... far from it. She had now spend a few hours searching for that girl, not to mention having to deal with Raynare´s own bad mood... and where did she find the little bitch? Sitting here happily chatting with a boy.

And that as a Nun. The little slut had obviously no shame at all. Maybe she should teach her a lesson before bringing her back, she thought.

Both of them were standing up in this moment and walking away side by side. After a short time more, Kalawarner saw that they were now entering the park. And nobody else was around at this time of the day... perfect.

 **xxx**

Issei admitted he hated this part of Gaeriel´s plan. He was back right here, in the park at evening. The sun was slowly beginning to set. And he was about to be attacked by a Fallen Angel.

"So here you are," they heard the voice of a woman addressing them, "and I have been looking for you everywhere."

Issei saw that it was a tall woman with blue hair and an impressive pair of assets that were pressed in an outfit that seemed at least two numbers too tight for her. She was clearly a Fallen Angel, her presence felt very similar to Gaeriel´s

"As it looks you have found a way to spend your time though," the woman said, looking at Issei.

"No... you misunderstand this," Asia replied. "Issei was just helping me to find the way."

"Oh really? It didn´t look like that as you two were sitting together. You didn´t seem to be in a hurry to come to the church at all," she commented.

The church, Issei thought. Maybe there were a few other things he should ask Asia. But now was not the time for this.

"We were just eating an ice-cream," Asia told her.

"Eating ice," the woman repeated mockingly, "maybe I should take care of your `boyfriend´ here, so that you will not get distracted again."

Before Asia could say anything else, Issei stepped forward.

"I don´t know who you are lady, but if you want to cause trouble for Asia, you can make it out with me," he stated.

"Oh really?" she replied. "If you say so." As she said this, she let her wings appear on her back and began to form a spear of light in her hand, like Yuuma did before.

Then she threw the spear at him.

Issei however materialized his Boosted Gear and used it to deflect the attack.

"What the...?" Kalawarner called out as she saw what just happened.

Before she could finish her sentence, Issei had already moved forward and punched her in the gut. The Fallen Angel tried to fight back, but she was taken completely by surprise here... and so Issei landed blow after blow on her.

Suddenly the boy materialized a sword in his hand, what caught her off guard even more. And she barely managed to dodge his first strike. Whatever this boy was, he was no normal human.

Issei smiled. Gaeriel had just showed him how to do that just before this fight.

Another nasty surprise came for Kalawarner as her opponent, right in the middle of the fight, seemed to grow much stronger from one moment to the other. Had he been holding back before?

She wasn´t able to hear the simple word **["Boost"]** coming from the Sacred Gear. Then, as she had just evaded another strike from his sword, he landed another vicious punch on her with his other hand where he had his Gear materialized... and send her crashing to the ground.

"You bastard," she hissed, struggling in vain to stand up.

"You are the one who attacked **me** ," Issei stated.

"Who in the world are you?" she asked him.

"My name is Issei Hyoudou," he replied. "You have heard of me...?"

She indeed remembered that name... impossible.

But before either of them could say anything else, another surprise appeared. This time a positive one for the Fallen... as Issei was suddenly kicked in the side and send crashing to the ground himself.

As Kalawarner looked up, she saw another Fallen Angel she didn´t knew.

"Who are...?"

"Azazel send me to keep an eye on your group," the stranger stated. "My name is Gaeriel. As it looks I came just at the right time. Let us get out of here," she told her.

"What? I need the girl," Kalawarner called out.

"Don´t even think about it. You are dead weight as you are now. And I don´t know if I can take this guy alone," Gaeriel said, looking at Issei who just came up again. "Be glad that I am even here to save your ass. One of our soldiers should not go down so easy against a human, even if he has a Sacred Gear. Come on."

She grabbed the injured Kalawarner and lifted her off, flying away with her.

As they left, Issei looked after them, Asia standing a few meters behind him. He smiled. It seemed Gaeriel´s plan was working out.

 **xxxxxxx**

A short time later the now two Fallen Angels returned to the church.

Raynare was already waiting for them, in an even worse mood than before. And now more than surprised as she saw them.

"Kalawarner, what in the world happened to you?" she asked as she noticed what state her comrade was in. "And who are you?"

"My name is Gaeriel, special agent for Azazel," she lied. "I have just found your friend here as she had some trouble with a Sacred Gear user."

"Sacred Gear user," Raynare exclaimed. "What Sacred Gear user? Who was he?" she asked Kalawarner irritated. She had already taken care of the only one who should have been in this area, she thought.

She visible hesitated with her answer, for good reason.

"He said his name was Issei... Issei Hyoudou," she finally said...

... and Raynare felt as if the world was crashing down on her. This couldn´t be.

She grabbed Kalawarner by the collar.

"Nonsense," she called out, "that can't be and you know that. I killed Issei Hyoudou, you hear me? I killed him."

"That is indeed what he said his name was," Gaeriel confirmed, "... and before you bring it up, I assure you he was under guaranty not a Devil."

Issei Hyoudou... Raynare thought. Why did that name seem to keep following her?

* * *

 **The third chapter is finished, one day later than originally planned. Other matters had distracted me a bit. On the other side it had also gotten longer than the first two. I added a bit more content while I was working on it.**


	4. Chapter 4: The Fallen s plan

**Chapter 4**

The small group of Fallen Angels was still standing at the edge of the roof of the abandoned church building. To say that these three, Raynare, the beaten up Kalawarner and the new arrival Gaeriel were in a complicated situation would be an understatement.

For one there was the state Kalawarner was in and even more who she said was responsible for it, Issei Hyoudou... a boy who should be dead.

`He can't be alive´, Raynare thought. It was impossible. The wound she caused him was deadly, she was sure of it and she already sensed his life-force fleeing his body when she left him.

But now not only one but two people told her that there was a Sacred Gear user here, calling himself by that name. Was this really Issei? she asked herself. Or someone or something else. A trick maybe, a ruse? But why?

Her first thought would have been of course that the Devils had somehow gotten a hold of him and reincarnated him. That was the original reason why she had gone through such lengths to get close to him, to lure him to a remote place where they would be alone... far away from them.

But both Kalawarner and the newcomer had confirmed that this was definitely **not** the case. And two Fallen Angels would of course recognize a Devil when they saw one. So how was he brought back? If it was really him of course.

The picture of a young boy came to her mind, the same boy who she went on a date with... with the purpose to kill him. One who in his clumsy way tried to give her a good time... appreciated her... cared for her... tried to make her happy. She pushed the thought down instantly. What the hell was she thinking about? Damn it.

She didn´t need affection from some human brat... and least of all one who spend a good part of his time starring at her breasts and wish nothing more than to grab and fondle them. To her shame Raynare realized that for a short moment her body as feeling hot at the thought. But... somehow...she just couldn't help it.

She of course knew perfectly well about Issei´s perverted nature and she admitted, a small part of her was actually impressed that he had kept it in check so well around her.

Not that it mattered at all. Why did it all have to come back to this? she asked herself.

Issei Hyoudou was a potential dangerous threat to them, even Lord Azazel believed so. That was why he had send her to observe him. And as long as she had to spend her time watching over him, she could not concentrate on her scheme involving Asia. Issei had been in her way and a danger to them. His feelings... or even her own... on the matter were not important. She did what she had to do.

Raynare had thought she let this matter behind her once and for all. She felt anger rising up in her. In opposite to what one could think, it didn't anger her that he might still be alive. Or even that he was interfering with her plan.

No, it angered her that she had done all that in vain. That she went **that** far, to seduce and murder him... that she had pushed herself to do that... and then it was all for nothing. It was like a slap in the face.

 **xxx**

Right in this moment however they had other things to deal with. One of them was standing directly in front of them. Namely the Fallen Angel who was not part of their group who was standing right in front of her right now... and that could mean problems.

"You are working for Azazel-sama you said?" Raynare addressed her.

"Yes... I do," Gaeriel replied. "And it seems you have some problems here," she commented, looking at Kalawarner.

Gaeriel knew this part of her story could cause trouble, if this Raynare or `Yuuma´ should come to the idea to contact the Fallen Angel leaders and ask for confirmation.

She already had a telepathic conversation with the boss about this part of their plan... and he had promised her to contact the Azazel of this world to give her some back up for the deception.

"Like you are one to talk," Kalawarner called out. "Raynare, she had just left Asia Argento behind... with that boy. She had not even tried to get her back with us."

"Don´t blame me for your failures," Gaeriel retorted. "You were already beaten when I stepped in. I only interfered to save you. And by the way, as I recall that girl was completely willing to come with you peacefully, until you had to make senseless threats to the boy and start a fight. Who was that girl anyway and why are you so interested in her?" she asked.

"Asia Argento, isn´t this the name of a Sacred Gear user I have heard of?" she questioned. "But last I heard she wasn´t supposed to be anywhere in this country, wasn´t she?" Gaeriel had a knowing smile on her face as she looked at the other two.

When there had ever been a moment when Raynare wanted to strangle her old friend, it was now. Why in the world could Kalawarner not simply have kept her mouth shut? But no, she just had to blat out Asia´s name in front of someone who was not supposed to know she was here.

"No, until a short time ago she wasn´t," Raynare admitted. "She had been send to us recently."

"Interesting. I admit I haven´t known about this," Gaeriel stated. "Who exactly had authorized to bring her here, if you allow me to ask?"

"Kokabiel-sama did," Raynare answered this part without hesitation. "Since you are working directly for Lord Azazel, you have possibly not heard about it," she suggested.

"So Kokabiel you say?" she questioned. The same smile was still on her face. "Raynare..." she said to her in a friendly but demeaning manner, "...cut the crap. You don´t need to tell me what you are doing here. I have already a good idea. Do you think I have not heard the talk under the troops about the ideas to take Sacred Gears from their users? And I also know how precious especially the Twilight Healing would be for our kind."

"What exactly are you suggesting here?" Raynare asked her, playing dumb.

"It is quite simply," she stated. "About your plan... I want in."

This statement clearly surprised the other Fallen Angels.

"What?"

"I thought you are working for Azazel?" Kalawarner questioned.

"Azazel-sama knows the worth of the Twilight Healing for our race just as well as any of us," Gaeriel responded with a stern look. "But he is caught in the politics with the other Factions and as our leader he has to hold up, well `certain moral standards´, even if the rest of us do not. That is why he can't openly approve. But we all know he will thank us later if we secure the Twilight Healing for our kind."

"You mean if there is an **us**?" Raynare countered. "But I guess we have not much choice here," she commented.

"If you don´t want me to tell Azazel what you are doing... not much, no," Gaeriel pointed out.

"Okay," Raynare gave in. "Come with me. I will introduce you to the others." She invited her inside with a gesture. But then she stopped her in the movement. "But let me make **one** thing clear," she stated. "The one who carries the Twilight Healing will be **me**." Something about her expression was different from a moment before. It was stern and deadly serious. For some reason this matter seemed really important for her.

"I have no problem with that," Gaeriel replied. "There are other Sacred Gears. Many of them might suit me better. My real interests are actually somewhere else," she said.

The other one called Kalawarner had already gone inside, good. Some things are better being said under four eyes.

"What I truly want... " Gaeriel told her, "... is to actually watch the extraction-ceremony of the Sacred Gear itself."

This actually seemed to surprise Raynare.

"And why?" she responded.

"You should know that my... group... has for some time been experimenting on the principles of the workings and use Sacred Gears. And we have also been researching more effective and safer ways to remove them if the need should ever come up."

"Really?" she stated drily, but now sounding somewhat interested.

"Of course since Sacred Gear users are rare, we have only seldom the chance to study on the living subject. To actually see and watch over the extraction procedure is a chance I wouldn´t miss. To be honest, I would like to assist you."

"Oh, it seems we have gotten ourselves an **expert** here," Raynare responded. She did not even try to hide the sarcasm in her voice.

"Be honest Raynare," Gaeriel countered. "Tell me, have you ever removed a Sacred Gear before?" she asked. "Do you know the risk of it going wrong and losing both the user and the object?"

The other Fallen didn´t respond. But the short, barely recognizable, flinch on her face was telling enough to Gaeriel.

"As I thought. Seriously, I would have been surprised if you had... " she stated,"... and slightly worried. After all such a Sacred Gear extraction is not something you would do every day, right? I know more about the process than you will probably ever do. I have actually **participated** in it before. You can use my help."

Raynare now looked as if she at least seriously considered her words.

"We can talk about it later," Gaeriel offered. "First introduce me to the rest of `our´ team."

 **xxxxxxx**

At the same time Asia, who was still beside Issei, was now at the other side of the town. They had tried to get as much distance between the park and them as possible.

Now Issei faced another problem and that was one simple question... **where** to go with her now? She had still no place to stay. That and people were after her.

Their last conversation with Gaeriel was now over an hour ago. She had told him that this would be probably their best chance to do **it** and gave him some last instructions. That included one last telepathic transfer of knowledge.

It... in this case meant her idea to infiltrate Yuuma´s group. Sadly, they didn't have much time to talk and couldn´t make a concrete plan where to hide Asia. Still the chance was too good to pass up and so she said that she would leave this to him.

To **him** he thought. Great decision Gaeriel, he thought sarcastically. As if he had any idea what to do.

The easiest idea would be to bring her home, tell his parents about her situation - the part about having no place to sleep for this night of course, not the one about the Fallen Angels chasing her - and ask them if she can stay at their house for the night. But the problem here was that Yuuma **knew** where he **lived**. If they were searching for her, it would obviously be one of the first places they would look.

Think Issei think, he told himself. But nothing came to his mind. He knew he wasn´t the brightest sometimes, but right now he cursed his lack of imagination. Where could he bring her?

Asking Rias Gremory for help was completely out of question. As a high ranked Devil she would never simply give shelter to a member of the other factions. Even Issei knew that. And with their latest confrontation, the chances were even worse. If he could offer something in exchange, then maybe. But what?

Who else? Matsude or Motohama? No, they would probably try to molest poor Asia as soon as they saw her. But they still seemed to be the safest bet. Maybe if he would stay as well, he could keep them under control. Yes, maybe.

But then another thought came to him. Yuuma... no, Raynare... had, as he had been told, been observing him for some time. Who said that she didn´t knew where **they** lived as well. If she had been watching him, this was actually more than likely.

What should he do?

Gaeriel had also informed Asia about what the Guardians believed the Fallen Angel group had planned for her. Taking her Sacred Gear... that would cause her death. They would be **killing** her.

Asia herself accepted her words with a sad expression and to Issei´s shock, something that seemed to be... resignation. It was nearly as if she was not even surprised about the revelation that the people who took her in after her excommunication from the Church were planning to kill her.

But she had also eagerly accepted their offer to stay with them for the time being... or better said to stay with Issei, who was her first and only friend... the person who meant most to her.

 **xxx**

A part of Issei was burning in rage that Yuuma would actually consider doing something like that to Asia. Of course she had already killed **him** before. So he should have a good idea what she is capable of. But Asia... someone so innocent.

But he also remembered the other things Gaeriel had told him. That it was dangerous to let your feelings... especially your anger... overcome you and affect your judgement. You are getting a tunnel vision and can only see the evil that is right in front of you, as she had explained to him.

This was not **their** way. If he decided that he wanted to remain with the Guardians he would have to overcome that impulse.

Yes, Asia was his friend. Yes, she was a kindhearted and probably the most innocent person he knew. But he couldn´t expect the Fallen Angels to know her personally and value her like he did. Just because **he** cared about her didn´t make the Fallen Angels planning to kill her automatically worse as if they did it to any other innocent person. He needed to get over himself here. That was at least how she said it to him.

But Gaeriel had also told him that she would do something to keep Asia save, that she would try to keep Raynare from doing it. Would that... could that... really work? he asked himself. Or was it too much asked for?

 **xxx**

Issei had by now made up his mind. He had decided to bring Asia to his home after all.

What other choice did he have? They would ask his parents if she could stay for the night. And when Asia told them her story how he had found her walking through the town without any idea where to go to, they would hardly say no.

At least his home was warded. That and at least some protection from anyone just teleporting inside.

If any of the Fallen Angels showed up, he would just have to defend her and do everything that his parents wouldn´t get in the crossfire. He hated to get them involved into this.

But now that both the Devils and the Fallen knew that he was still alive, this would probably happen anyway.

Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his head.

"Issei, are you alright?" Asia asked him worried.

"It... it is okay," he said. He knew that he wasn´t sounding too convincing.

 **["Partner,"]** Ddraig spoke to him, **["it seems you are not feeling well."]**

`You can say that. This headache...´ he spoke mentally.

 **["That is probably the result of having too much knowledge placed into your mind in a short time,"]** the Dragon replied.

`You mean this is because of what Gaeriel did?´ Issei questioned.

 **["This is maybe part of it, "]** Ddraig stated. **["But to be honest, without it you would probably feeling even worse right now.**

 **The real problem is still that you have two different sources of power that don´t interact well with each other. The information this Angel had placed into your mind is actually the only thing that allows you to control them so far."]**

`I thought that problem was solved.´

 **["It was stabilized for the moment. But the powers you are developing are just too strong and they are growing uncontrollable. I will tell it to you plainly. Something strange is going on."]**

`What do you mean by that?´ Issei asked a bit confused.

 **["To put it simply, your powers are not working like they are meant to. You remember the incident during your `talk´ with those Devils, as your Sacred Gear suddenly activated?"]**

`Of course I remember,´ he replied, not really wanting to talk about this topic.

 **["It wasn´t supposed to work like this. It gave you multiple power boosts at the same time. `My´ Boosted Gear isn´t supposed to work like that, unless you have reached the level called Balance Breaker."]**

`Isn´t that a good thing?´ Issei asked sheepishly.

He could literally hear the Dragon growling as he shouted the answer into his head.

 **["It would be, if that was the end of it. But beside that there are also other things. For example, that we are even talking with each other, despite that you shouldn´t have that ability yet. Or that you were able to understand a new language within a few seconds, despite having no Devil or Fallen Angel magic."]**

`Or the fact that I have beaten a Devil and a Fallen Angel after less than two days of training,´ Issei stated with more than just some measure of pride.

 **["Don´t let this get to your head Partner. They were caught off guard and underestimated you. The next time will be harder. Not that they know what you are capable of,"]** Ddraig pointed out. **["But that isn´t what I am talking about. It seems that your two powers are mixing together, influencing each other, with unpredictable results. And not only that, they are developing in an incredible rate. As far as I can tell it you are growing stronger every day, maybe even every hour."]**

`And how again is that not a good thing?´ Issei asked him.

 **["I have two theories how this might turn out in the end,"]** the Dragon explained to him. **["The first is... you will turn into a being of incredible power and abilities, a God if you want."]**

`Really? Cool... and the other?´ he wanted to know

 **["You will sooner or later loose control and destroy yourself..."]** Ddraig stated, **["...and probably everyone around you,"]** he added.

"What?" Issei called out. He spoke this loud, so that Asia, who was still standing close by looked at him worried.

"Issei...?" she asked concerned.

"I am okay," he answered. No he was not, he thought silently.

 **["Calm down Partner. That is exactly what we are working on now, to prevent that from happening. To make that clear, your training is not simply about getting stronger. It is about `controlling´ the powers you are developing and prevent that from happening."]**

The headaches came back, in fact they were getting worse and Issei was holding his head. But this time it was not only them. He suddenly felt confused and disoriented. Issei stumbled forward.

He heard Asia calling out to him one last time. Then he could no longer see her... Issei saw that he was no longer with her.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The abandoned Church_

At the inside, the others were waiting for them.

Besides Kalawarner, there were two more Fallen Angels that she had not seen before. One of them was a man in a trenchcoat, the other a very young looking blonde haired girl in a gothic lolita outfit.

"These are Dohnaseek," Raynare introduced them, pointing at the man, "and Mittelt." She gestured to the girl.

"And who is this?" the man called Dohnaseek asked, looking at the new Fallen they didn´t know.

"This is Gaeriel. She was send here by Lord Azazel," Raynare said, hoping that the others would get the hint. "She has decided to join our operation."

"So one more, eh?" he commented drily. "That´s okay with me. As long as we get the job done."

"Hey," Mittelt greeted her and gave her a friendly wink with her hand along with a bright smile. She actually sounded a bit like a little girl. Somehow the gesture felt in Gaeriel´s opinion just as much creepy as it was cute.

There was however another person present at the other side of the room, leaning with his back against the wall. This one wasn´t a Fallen Angel. No, he was human, a young man with light blonde, nearly white hair, dressed in clothes of cleric origins. He was wearing a long dark blue coat with gold colored sleeves over plain looking light grey shirt and trousers. Around his neck was the typical collar of a Priest.

But his appearance was not the actually unusual thing about him.

The corrupted form of power that was radiating from him and the few psychic impressions she was able to get from his well shielded mind, were more sinister than of any of the Fallen Angels here. This man was clearly an exorcist. But a very twisted and insane version of one.

"This is Freed Selzen, formally of the Catholic Church," Raynare introduced him. "I guess you have heard the name before?"

She indeed did. One of the most infamous Stray Exorcists in this world. As he was still part of the Church, he was said to be a genius, one of the most talented exorcists of his generation. He had been efficient and brutal. More brutal than efficient actually.

Stray Exorcists were former Priests who had been excommunicated. In Freed Selzen´s case because of his cruel methods and because it became more and more clear that his motives were pure sadism and the wish to kill than faith in God.

He was not the only one. On their way here she had introduced a few others, obviously also Stray Exorcists. There had to be an entire group of them here.

"Nice to meet you," Freed Selzen said to her.

"Likewise," she responded. She did not even try to sound convincing. It was obvious to her on the first look that the other Fallen Angels around didn´t like this guy any more than she did.

The Girl-Angel named Mittelt was looking at him with discomfort. Raynare on the other hand did it with nearly open rage.

"So you have decided to join the team, right?" Freed remarked. "Have you made sure that she can be trusted Raynare?"

"You are hardly one to talk here Selzen. It was your job to bring the girl here. Instead you let her travel alone and now we have lost her," she accused him.

"It was told to me that I was her bodyguard, not a babysitter," he retorted, not sounding concerned at all, as if all of this was not truly his business. "It is not my fault that the little bitch was too stupid to find her way here. Being around her the entire time would have only drawn attention and I had other things to do."

"These `other things´," Raynare remarked, "did not happen to involve some random killing or torturing, did it?"

"Well, now that you mention it?" he said with a grin. "Oh calm down. We will just all go out and find her. How difficult can that be?"

"She is not alone," Kalawarner pointed out. "Someone, a Sacred Gear user is helping her."

"Even better," Freed replied. The sadistic smile on his face only deepened. "So we can kill this guy. Finally, the chance for some real fun."

For a split second, Raynare had the irrational urge to stop him, but only for a moment.

"Kalawarner will tell you now everything she had seen and then we will search the entire town and **find** her," she announced.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Outside, a few minutes later_

Most of the Fallen Angels and also Freed Selzen were already gone. The rest of the Exorcists would stay behind as guards.

Only two Fallen Angels were still present... at least for the moment. They too would join the search in a few minutes. But before that they still had something to discuss.

"Raynare," Gaeriel said. The woman she had just addressed turned around to her.

"Oh yes, you offered to assist me in the procedure. But you have to admit... You suddenly show up here out of nowhere and offer me help that would improve my chances to success. You understand that this sounds a little bit unlikely. Do you really just want to watch the process? Is this your only motivation?"

This reaction didn´t surprise her. It matched perfectly with her impression of this woman, paranoid and distrustful, but also very passionate and determined to the cause of the Fallen Angels... and also to her own goals. But it was the sort of determination that could drive someone to kill. This plan here proofed that all too well.

She claimed loyalty to the Fallen Angel leaders, especially Azazel who she seemed to admire. But she was willing to do this here behind his back. Lying behind all that seemed to be a very deep rooted and overwhelming craving for attention and especially affection.

The leather outfit Raynare was wearing certainly matched with that idea. If this girl wasn´t crying for attention, she didn´t know what it was.

In some sense she was a living contradiction. Gaeriel could only hope that the positive aspects of her personality would win out this time. That would make everything much easier.

"I admit there is something else," she said. "I of course want a Sacred Gear for myself, a powerful one. But it doesn´t have to be Twilight Healing. If you allow me the question, why do you even want this one Gear so much?"

"I have my own reasons," she stated.

"Of course," Gaeriel replied casually. "Raynare... tell me one thing. If I would tell you that there was a way to remove the Sacred Gear, but let the girl live, what would you say?"

For a few moments, Raynare didn´t say anything. But her surprise was obvious, even if she did her best to hide it.

"I guess you are talking about one of this new `more effective´ methods you have been talking about?" she questioned then. "Why should I trust you on this?"

"The method works, "Gaeriel responded. "We already had removed one Sacred Gear, successfully. At the wish of the owner himself who wanted to get rid of it. But that was already some time ago."

"Oh yes? which Sacred Gear was that?" Raynare asked distrustful.

"Noah´s Gate," she answered. "You have heard of it?"

She indeed had. It was a well-known Sacred Gear. One that the last user had disappeared several years ago and that then suddenly showed up again, in the hands of a new owner, only a short time later... one who had already been a young man. What should be impossible, since Sacred Gears were only reincarnated into newborns, unless...

"You shouldn´t think that I am sentimental," Gaeriel continued speaking. "You know **none** of us are. But if you had the option to either kill this girl to get the Sacred Gear or not to kill her with the same result. What would you do?"

For some reason for a short moment, Issei´s face was flashing in Raynare´s mind.

Gaeriel on the other side, was silently cheering in triumph at the inside. A small telepathic suggestion, when Raynare´s mental defenses were already weakened... and she knew she had her.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Somewhere else_

 _As Issei was able to see again, he nearly fell into panic. Wherever he was, he was clearly not in the place he had been a moment before._

 _In fact, he was clearly not even in Kuoh anymore. No, this was a much larger town. He could make out skyscrapers and other large buildings that were extending till the horizon._

 _How in the world did he get here? Was **this** what Ddraig had been worried about? Had his powers suddenly activated and send him here? Wherever this `here´ was?_

 _Asia... he realized that she was no longer with him. But then, as he really took in his surroundings, he saw that this was probably for the best. He was standing in the middle of a battlefield._

 _The town, he recognized some of his surroundings, he remembered seeing some of the buildings in the distance on TV. It was Tokyo. How in the world did he suddenly come from Kuoh to the Japanise Capital?_

 _But it was not simply any battle that was going on around here. What he was seeing was just... **unbelievable**. This was a fight between Supernatural Beings, two groups that were clashing with each other. And there was something else, he actually understood everything that was going on around him, when it was clear to him that he shouldn´t understand anything at all._

 _At one side he saw two men fighting each other with swords. Both of them were making movements faster than any normal person could see. But that was the **least** unusual thing here._

 _And not everyone of them was human. He saw one bizarre being with large claws and a face that only consisted of white eyes and sharp teeth, like a cross between a reptile and a fish. There was a woman with the ears and the tail of a cat. She was a Nekomata. But Issei wasn´t even aware how he knew this detail._

 _He noticed a figure standing under them he knew all too well... the same man who had resurrected him, the man calling himself Darien. Instead of the unremarkable grey suit he had seen him in the last time, he was now wearing a futuristic looking sort of armor._

 _Issei realized who this people had to be. A group of members of the Guardians... and the other one were their mysterious enemies. He tried to call out to them, but they didn´t seemed to hear him. They didn´t even react._

 _Next to Darien was standing a tall man in a red coat with shoulder long dark hair. At a closer look Issei saw that his eyes were glowing bright red and his canines were long and sharp. Spreading from his body was a black `substance´ or maybe it was a form of energy that he controlled, that was flowing from him like a living shadow and reforming itself into different shapes, like spears, blades or tentacles, that were attacking his enemies for him._

 _As he move one hand, a wave of fire appeared out of nowhere and burned a couple of warriors who were standing against him to ash. But this, Issei knew, was only the slightest fraction of this man´s power. If he wanted he could have devastated this planet with one move. He was one of the strongest under the Guardians. But Issei didn´t knew how he knew this._

 _In opposite to Darien, fighting him, stood a tall young man with black hair. He was wearing a similar sort of armor, only his was colored black instead of light grey like his opponent. Like Darien he was looking like a regular human. But he was a being of cosmic powers, rivalling the strongest beings Issei´s universe knew of._

 _As the powers of this two beings clashed, the space around them itself was bending to their will. They were sending fire, ice, pure energy and other elements at each other, they were moving large objects with the help of telekinesis and threw them at each other. At one point of the fight they were multiplying their bodies into nearly a dozen copies, each fighting in a different way._

 _At another Darien´s opponent created a black hole that could have ripped the planet apart. But Darien dissolved it before it caused any damage._

 _And both of them were doing other things that Issei was not even able to describe._

 _Issei knew at some level that this entities, there was no other way to call them, were actually using a part of their power to keep the planet from breaking apart under the energy they unleashed. Still the outfall was terrible._

 _The earth was shaking. Entire lines of houses were crumbling around them._

 _In some distance Issei saw how a man was being thrown into a building. To his surprise however he didn´t broke through the walls, he just passed through them without actually touching them, like a ghost. It reminded him of something that happened during his training with Gaeriel. He managed to land a hit, but his sword just passed through her body without actually touching it._

 _Phasing, she had called this technique. Simply put she was transfering the mass of her body out of this dimension for a short moment. She had however admitted that she could do it only for a second. This guy here was clearly much better in it than her._

 _The whole battle was a single show of madness. Both sides were using supernatural attack at each other. Fighters were teleporting from one end of the town to the other._

 _The entire district of the town was standing in flames... Was **this** the war Darien and Gaeriel had told him about?_

 _... and then suddenly everything was over._

 **xxxxxxx**

A second later Issei found himself back where he had been before.

"Issei," he heard Asia´s voice. "Issei." He realized that was again standing right next to him.

"Asia," he said.

"Yes. Issei you can hear me? What is with you?" the Nun asked him. "And don´t tell me you are okay. You are clearly not."

"Asia... I was suddenly gone."

"Yes you were. You were just standing there, not moving or saying anything for nearly a minute," she told him.

"What? I was not longer here. I was..." He realized the full implications of what she way saying. "You say I was actually standing here the entire time?"

"Yes."

 **["You were indeed Partner,"]** Ddraig told him. **["You have not moved one meter, except in your mind."]**

"What happened?" Issei asked him.

 **[** **"I believe what you have just experienced was a memory that had manifested itself in your brain, a vision if you want to call it that."]**

"You mean, nothing what I have just seen was real?"

 **["Oh, it certainly happened. To that Fallen Angel Gaeriel or maybe to someone who had once passed this memory to her like she did to you. I guess this is simply another side-effect of the continued telepathic transfers."]**

"But the last time Gaeriel did that was already a few hours ago," Issei countered.

 **["Your brain probably just needed some time to process all that information. Then that happened, the memory was replaying itself inside your mind."]**

`A memory, when did this happen?´ Issei asked himself. If Tokyo had been devastated like that at one point everyone would know it. But nobody here did, because this hadn´t been their Tokyo, he realized. That battle happened in another universe.

"I see," he replied.

"Issei," he heard someone calling to him. As he turned around he saw Gaeriel who was flying above them and was just gliding down to land next to them.

"You are back," he said.

"Yes and I had success," she stated.

"You mean?"

"Yes, your `girlfriend´ has agreed to my offer. Asia, you can come with me now." She was looking at the Nun.

"Moment," Issei called out, "you mean you actually want to go back there with her?"

"Of course, that was the plan. What have you thought? Did you seriously think we two alone could hide her somewhere in the town without causing even more problems? And where would that be?"

"I... I was just bringing Asia home," he answered.

"To your house? That is the first place they would look."

"At least it is warded and..." Issei tried to argue.

"And that would barely hold them back... and your parents would be put in danger as well. That is exactly what we have been talking about. We don´t endanger two or three people to protect one. You are not thinking rationally here."

"You know what? You are right, I am not thinking rationally when it comes to Asia. I am worried like hell for her."

"She won´t be in any greater danger there as she would be anywhere we could hide her in Kuoh," Gaeriel responded. "Raynare has already agreed to my offer to spare her. That means she isn´t a direct threat to Asia right now. She will actually make sure that nothing happens to her until I give her that Sacred Gear. She might actually be safer at the church with me watching her and Raynare not trying to hurt her, than she would be being hunted by the entire group and all those nutjobs with them... and endangering others in the process."

Issei said nothing and was just looking downwards.

"Issei, I will go with her," Asia said to him. "She is right... and I don´t want to put anyone else in danger."

"I will protect her, I promise..." Gaeriel told him, "... and as it looks Raynare might actually helping me doing it," she said smiling.

 **xxxxxxx**

Issei was now continuing his way home by himself. A part of him could not believe that he had actually agreed to this.

He was still a few kilometers away from his house, when he started to hear it... a long obviously painful howling. Not very loud at first, not more when a whisper. But as he moved it was growing louder and louder.

Before Issei even fully realized it, he was walking in the direction the noise came from.

He arrived in front of a house. The whisper had by now become a loud screaming. Then it suddenly ended. But Issei was sure that it came from inside.

He saw then that the door had been broken open. As he stepped inside, he already knew that this was probably not a good idea. But he couldn´t help the feeling that someone here needed help.

When he entered the living room, he saw that he had been more than right. The walls were splattered with blood.

He saw the mutilated dead body of a man, bound to a chair. To his horror Issei realized that the man was still alive... but unconscious. Issei realized now what had led him here. The pain of this man that he had sensed telepathically.

"Oh, look who is here," a voice greeted him. It was a man who was dressed somewhat like a Priest, but looked like a maniac, with a gun in one hand and a bloodied sword in the other. This had to be one of this Stray Exorcists that Gaeriel had mentioned.

It was Freed Selzen. But there was another person in the room... Koneko.

The school uniform of the small Devil, that she was still wearing, had been cut apart at several places and Issei could see her bra and her panties through the shredded clothes. Normally this would have excited him, if it weren´t for the fact that she was also bleeding from several wounds.

"You must be this `Issei´... the Sacred Gear user," the Exorcist said. "It seems my guess was right that you are somehow connected to the Devils," he mused, glancing at Koneko... and he started to laugh.

"I will first deal with your little Devil friend here and then you will lead me to Asia Argento."

"Forget it... whoever you are," Issei shouted, instantly activated his Boosted Gear.

* * *

 **This chapter had taken longer since I had problems with my computer for the last week. I only got it back to working normally two days ago.**

 **.**


	5. Chapter 5: Get what you wanted

**Chapter 5**

 _"Issei..." Koneko whispered as she recognized him._

Issei wasn´t leaving his eyes off the man before him. This guy was clearly one of the Exorcists. Probably the one Gaeriel had especially warned him about... Freed or whatever his name was.

Given the state both the Devil Koneko and the man on the chair were in, it was more than rightfully.

"I guess I should introduce myself," the Exorcist said. "I am Freed Selzen. My job... and my quite personal pleasure... is it to exterminate all Devils that cross my path..." he declared, "... and everyone who associates with them." He grinned.

As he said this, he readjusted the gun he held in his left hand... just a little bit... and shot the bounded man in the head. Blood splattered the floor and the wall close by and his body sank down, dead.

Issei, who didn´t expect a reaction like this like this, didn´t act to stop him in time.

"Why did you **do** that?" he asked.

Freed just shrugged with the shoulders, as if this wasn´t a serious matter at all and continued to speak as if nothing had happened. As if he had not just killed a bound up man in cold blood.

"This guy had summoned a Devil, as you can see here," he pointed to Koneko with a glare, "and we can't let that happen, can we?" he questioned. "I mean where will we get when anyone can just summon a Devil and get away with it? Maybe even making a deal with them, eh? I mean these are Devils we are talking about, shitty Devils.

They are like a disease, spreading everywhere... always tempting `innocent´ people to create more of their filthy race. They need to be wiped out. Ideally in the most painful way of course." he laughed.

Issei was looking at the man. Whatever he was, it was clear to him that he was not completely right in the head. After their last confrontation he couldn´t say that he was all too about Devils either. But this? This was madness.

"You should know that I have nothing to do with the Devils," he told him.

"Oh yes, that is exactly what a friend of the Devils would say," The Exorcist replied. "That´s how they are. Always lying, cheating and betraying. Killing, maiming, raping, torturing, just like everyone else. But never admitting it. Never being honest about it like us `righteous´ people do, no."

Damn it, Issei thought. It was clear that there was truly no reasoning with this guy. Not that he had really intended it from the beginning. But he had hoped he could at least talk him down for some time and maybe give Koneko a chance to flee.

"And that..." Freed stated, "... means all will have to die. **You** of course only after you have told me where the girl we are looking for is." He was looking at Issei.

"I won´t tell you anything you freak," Issei exclaimed.

"Ah resistance," Freed announced. "You truly are an interesting one, aren´t you?" With this words he pointed the gun at him... and fired nearly in the same moment.

Issei moved, incredible fast. He managed to actually evade the first volley of three shots.

 **[Boost,]** he heard Ddraig´s voice in his mind as the Boosted Gear did it´s work.

Issei remembered his training. But at the same time he was for a short moment, surrendering himself completely to his own power and acted nearly completely on autopilot... on instinct.

He also remembered what Ddraig told him a short time ago. That his powers were growing and growing and that he needed training for control. But right now he couldn´t bother with control. He needed to survive... and for that he needed speed.

Near instantly he reached Freed, after avoiding the first three bullets... and landed a hit on his left arm that threw off his aim.

But Issei had miscalculated his own speed, moved accidentally passed him, lost his footing in the process... stumbled and nearly crashed into the wall behind the mad Stray Exorcist.

Freed was for a split second starring at him, caught between shock and amusement about what had just happened. But only for a short moment. Then he was back to his normal sadistic self.

"A bit clumsy aren´t we?" he commented. "Maybe I should cut off your legs so that something like that can´t happen to you again."

Freed grinned maliciously... and took aim again.

"I guess that was what Ddraig meant about controlling my own powers," Issei murmured to himself as he was still trying to regain his balance.

He moved his left arm just in time to block another one of Freed´s bullets with his Sacred Gear. Like he had learned it, he used his own energy to strengthen his own defenses, like an armor made of his own power.

A master of this technique could have stopped the bullets with his bare hands. Sadly, he wasn´t one.

If he had better control over his other abilities, he could - as he was told - use Draig´s and his own energies to form a barrier... a shield... around himself, that could stop bullets before they even reached him. But he wasn´t yet capable of that either. Maybe he would in the future.

But in this moment he had to work with what he could do right **now**.

To that came that Freed´s weapons had themselves a certain spiritual energy behind them. Issei could sense it, feel it. They were the weapons of an Exorcist after all. It wasn´t exactly what one would call holy power. Not anymore at least. Not with what Freed had become. His power was now just as corrupted as his character.

"I see you are able to use your Sacred Gear, in **more** sense than one," the Stray Exorcist commented drily.

Issei was standing ready, waiting to deflect the next shot. But it didn´t come.

Freed decided to stop wasting his bullets and lifted his sword instead, taking a fighting stance.

Issei run forward, intending to match him. But he waited a bit longer until he conjured his own sword, hoping to catch him off guard. It was one of the earlier techniques he had learned.

The sword, as he had been explained, was placed just a little bit outside of normal space and could be brought here by his command. It worked quite similar as the materialization of his Sacred Gear, so he could learn it quite easily. Normally such a technique, letting a object vanish and bringing it back, would have been above his current level of skill. But he improvised, with other words, he attempted to send the blade to the same place as the Sacred Gear... and it worked.

As the weapon suddenly appeared in his hand, the Stray Exorcist indeed seemed surprised and had to readjust his position in the last moment and barely managed to block Issei´s attack. He had obviously expected him to use his Boosted Gear for it like the last time.

But the surprise only kept him unbalanced for a short moment and he was now back in the game. He parried the next two strikes without any problem.

The Boosted Gear, Issei knew it would continue to power him up. A few more boost and he might be able to take this Freed down by pure strength alone. But he knew his body couldn´t take much more and he would most likely collapse before he reached this point... and then he would be helpless.

So he deactivated it for the moment. That meant he would need to power up again from the beginning. But this was the lesser risk by far.

 **This** was it, Issei thought. **This** opponent wasn´t underestimating him and he wasn´t holding back. Whoever this nutjob was. He knew he couldn´t win this fight on power and reflexes alone and he didn´t have the skill yet to keep up with someone of Freed´s caliber. He needed to find a middle ground between both...

... he needed to or he would be dead.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The abandoned church_

At the same time the Fallen Angel Gaeriel was just landing, along with Asia who she had brought back with her, outside of the church building.

"Remember," she said to her with a low voice, "try not to act too close with me. That would only make them distrustful. As far as it comes to them I have just found you and dragged you back here.

I will not be your protector when we are there, not officially at least. That will be Raynare. A bit ironic, don´t you think? Since she is the one who would have killed you otherwise." She said those seemingly cynical words to her. But her voice was warm and she gave her a reassuring smile while doing it.

"You see, in some sense we are not only helping you, but Raynare as well. We are helping to show her that what she truly wants cannot be achieved with death and violence. I promise I will do everything to keep you safe. But for now you just have to stay quiet and look frightened," she told her.

They entered the building.

Inside, in the hall they met Raynare, Mittelt and a handful of the Stray Exorcists. The others were obviously still out somewhere in the town, looking for Asia. But she was already here.

"You have found her," Raynare exclaimed - sounding, perhaps for the first time since Gaeriel met her, truly happy. "It seems it wasn´t a bad idea to add you to our group," she stated.

Asia didn´t say anything. But she was looking around from one of them to the other, visible fearful. She was playing her role really good, Gaeriel thought. No, she corrected her own foolishness, it was more than an act. Of course Asia was truly afraid. How could she not in her situation?

Raynare was kneeling down right in front of the small Nun.

"I see you are finally here Asia," she said. "You remember me, right? Lord Kokabiel had introduced us shortly some time ago. I am to take care of you from now on."

"Yes, Raynare-sama... I remember," Asia responded a bit hesitated.

"You don´t need to be afraid. I won´t let anything happen to you," the Fallen Angel assured her. "I admit that I want your Sacred Gear," she downright told her the truth. "But you don´t need to worry. We have a new method to take it without harming you," she said. "That means you **won´t** have to die."

Mittelt was looking at them, visible surprised about this statement. But she didn´t say anything, at least for the moment.

"You have gone through so much because of it," Raynare reminded Asia. "The Sacred Gear was the reason you were excommunicated by the Church. Tell me, wouldn´t you actually be **happy** to get rid of it? Why don´t you give it to **me**?" Raynare asked her with a soft voice.

"I..." Asia began, not quite knowing what to say. It was clear that Raynare´s words were getting to her.

"I know you liked helping people. But I promise you I will put it to good use when I have it. And you can live a normal life. Don´t you want that?"

" **Yes** ," Asia now answered firmly. "I don´t want to be alone... I want to have friends."

"You see, I will take the Twilight Healing from you and we will **both** be happy," Raynare told her. She had a friendly smile on her face. It nearly seemed genuine. And who knew, maybe it was. Who said that she didn´t actually meant what she said and expected Asia to be happy? Now that it was no longer necessary to kill her.

"Asia, tell me, I have heard that you have met Issei," Raynare said to her. "How is he? Has he said anything? Do you know what he is doing right now?" she asked her.

"Yes..." she answered slowly, "... he found me when I was walking through the town. We... talked. He had mentioned you as well," she said, remembering the few times Issei had mentioned the Fallen Angel.

"Of course he had. Me and him, we are quite close to each other. You should know. I am his **girlfriend** ," she told her. The smile on her face, if at all, turned even brighter than before.

 **"What**?" This clearly surprised Asia. She could barely keep her voice down. Sure he had mentioned Raynare... but not like that. She clearly didn´t know what to make of this information. Why did she feel so uneasy about this?

"Tell me, how is he?" Raynare asked her. "We didn´t get to spend much time together in the last days, since I have many important things here to take care of. So tell me, what is he doing right now? Has he told you anything?"

Asia didn´t see the grin on the Fallen Angel Mittelt´s face as she heard her saying this. But Gaeriel did.

"He... he said he wants to protect me. We have become friends. He said he cares about me. He said he will keep me save at every price," Asia stated.

" **Really**?" Raynare replied. The snarling tone in her voice was barely heard, but it was noticeable, for someone who paid attention. "Well, if you are a friend of my boyfriend, then that means we should be friends as well, **right** Asia?" The coldness and anger was barely to hear now. But it was still there.

"Yes Raynare-sama, thank you," she said `happily´. She didn´t think that the Fallen Angel truly meant it. But she knew she would be happy to make another friend.

"Come, I will show you your room," Raynare told her and gestured for the Nun to follow her. As they were leaving, the other two Fallen were left alone.

Mittelt saw no reason to hold herself back.

"That was just hilarious don´t you think? I knew Raynare was a great liar, but this was just great." She chuckled.

"What makes you call her a liar?" Gaeriel asked with an obviously played curiosity. "If you look closer you will see that nothing she had just told her was actually untrue." Just out of context, she thought.

"You are kidding, right? She just told Asia that she is in love with that Hyoudou guy."

"Really? She just told her that she is his girlfriend and that she would **really** like to know what he is doing right now. This is quite true, isn´t it?"

Mittelt, who finally got it, was now laughing freely.

"Oh yes right, it was **aaallll** completely true," she said, intentionally exaggerating with a smirk, thinking that she saw the irony.

"You see, the greatest liar is the one who tells you the truth right in your face," Gaeriel remarked.

She let a little bit of her real amusement of the true irony of her statement flowing in as she grinned. The small Fallen Angel didn´t realize that she was the one being fooled... she and the others.

"It was nice talking to you Mittelt," she stated.

"Yeah, see you around," the child-like Fallen replied cheerfully as Gaeriel too left the room.

 **xxxxxxx**

Issei and Freed Selzen were still crossing swords. After being taken by surprise for a few moments, the Stray Exorcist was now attacking on his own.

Like he had learned, Issei was channeling part of his energy into his weapon. This was to be honest probably the only reason he had not been disarmed yet. While the light-based powers of the Exorcist´s weapons were not very effective against him, since he was not a Devil or another demonic being, there was another factor. Freed was simply better than him. His opponent was a skilled swordsman and an experienced fighter, while he was only an amateur with an impressive source of power.

He had started to draw strength from the Boosted Gear again. But he knew his current limit his body could take and that this power boosts alone would probably not be enough. And any wrong move could cost him his life against this opponent. Issei truly cursed his luck for running into this situation.

He blocked another strike of the Exorcist´s sword by letting it hit his Sacred Gear, while trying to land a hit with his own blade at the same time, that Freed however dodged.

He stopped another two hits, one with his sword, the other once again with the Boosted Gear.

 **[One of the most powerful sources of power in the world... and you use it like a simple wood-shield,]** Ddraig commented his habit of using his Sacred Gear to deflect his enemies blows.

`When I am able to use it in a better way I will tell you, ´ Issei told him mentally. `Until then I need to survive. ´

 **[Okay Partner,]** Ddraig responded, **[it is clear that you won´t beat this opponent in swordsmanship and if you just continue dodging his bullets, he will get you sooner or later. Use another kind of power he is not prepared for. Stop playing his game.]**

`Good idea Ddraig, ´ Issei replied. But what should he use? To be honest he wasn´t all to proficient in any of this techniques.

His telepathy... he remembered... Of course, he thought. It was clearly the power he had shown the greatest talent so far.

Issei tried to focus. He intended to send a telepathic attack against his opponent. Similar as he knew now he had done it against Kiba. Only that this time it wasn´t a reflex but a conscious choice.

The Stray Exorcist had already raised his weapon again for another strike.

If only he had one second to concentrate, Issei thought.

To his luck his wish was fulfilled a moment later when Koneko finally took her chance and jumped at the Exorcist from behind.

Freed, who put a great part of his concentration on his current opponent, only saw her coming in the last moment. But he **did** saw her. The day when he let a Devil like this take him by surprise was the one he would gladly die, he told himself mockingly. He turned his blade around and instead of going against Issei, stepped her in the left shoulder.

She cried out loud from the pain the light-based weapon caused her.

"No you little cunt," he hissed at her, "this is not how we are doing it. First I will deal with your pal over there and **then** I will have some fun with you. But see it from the positive side, at least you won´t die a virgin."

Issei felt even more sick as he already did before as he heard his words. Sure, he wasn´t on good terms with the Devils, for obvious reasons. But to do **that** to Koneko?

By the look of horror on her face she was thinking the same thing.

He swore to himself that he would take this guy down here and now.

Freed was hit by Issei´s mental attack without warning... and for all his training and experience he wasn´t prepared for this. As an Exorcist he had been schooled to resist mental probing to some level. But what nobody had ever thought of was a telepathic assault right in the middle of a battle.

All what Freed could do in this moment was holding his head and screaming in pain.

Issei on the other hand saw for a short moment a few glimpses of Freed´s memories. What exactly he did to the man on the chair, other of his victims, a scene of him talking to Yuuma/Raynare, Asia, another Fallen Angel, this one looking quite different than the others he had seen, red eyes, long black hair and pale skin. The guy was looking a bit like Dracula, he thought... and heard Ddraig scoffing in the background of his own mind at that. A few other people he didn´t recognize.

But at the same time he was not wasting this chance. Issei was jumping at his opponent.

 **[Boost.]** The Sacred Gear was assisting him once again... in more than one way, as Freed had put it.

Before the Stray Exorcist had time to recover and to react, he was hit by Issei´s blow. It hit him with enough force to send him flying and leave a visible crack in the wall before them. Issei believed he heard, much to his satisfaction, at least a few of Freed´s bones breaking.

The Exorcist was now lying on the ground, clearly out. But he saw that he was still breathing.

Issei sat down, trying to come to breathe again.

"Thank you Issei-sempai," Koneko said to him. Their personal disagreements seemed to be forgotten for the moment.

A short time later a magic circle showed up on the ground in front of them and Rias and the rest of her peerage were appearing in the room.

They all were looking in shock from Koneko and the state she was in to Issei, the dead man on the other end of the room and the unconscious Stray Exorcist. None of them was looking very happy about what they were seeing.

Then Koneko began to explain what happened.

 **xxxxxxx**

A few minutes later Gaeriel was leaving the building. She had left Asia behind for now... in Raynare´s care.

Yes, it was quite the irony that the one who would have otherwise killed her was now watching over her. But right now Raynare was propably the person most interested in her safety, even if it was mostly for her own self-interest. At least until the ritual.

But for that part, Gaeriel knew she needed a special kind of power, a power she didn´t possess. She sends out a mental call. Not to Issei, but to another person she had a telepathic connection with. She sends the call into the void between the realities.

`Boss... I hope you can hear me. There's something I need you to help me with, ´ she said.

Gaeriel knew in some sense she was just as much a manipulator as many of the people her groups were standing against.

She was **manipulating** Raynare and the others, not quite unlike Raynare had manipulated Issei, there was no denying that. She was using their ambitions for her own agenda. So far she had found out a few interesting things. But she was doing it all for a good cause.

She had for example been lying to Raynare about what exactly the ritual would do as well. Yes, it would give her what she wanted, but not exactly in the way Gaeriel had claimed. She had been falsely claiming to work for Azazel... to be part of the Grigori. And many other things.

So what? she thought. If her manipulations kept Raynare from killing an innocent person and maybe... just maybe... even helped to turn her into a better person in the process, then she gladly accepted to be one.

For now, it was time to reunite with Issei and tell him about what happened. She concentrated on the telepathic marker that had been placed on him. A circle appeared under her feet and a moment later she had teleported away.

 **xxx**

As she reappeared moments later... she felt how her jaw dropped. She had expected Issei to be home by now. Or maybe out at training. But not this.

The scene before her could have come right out of a horror movie. She was standing inside some house. At the other side of the room was the mutilated body of a man, bound to a chair, who had been killed by an head shot.

Issei was standing there, breathing heavily and being visible beaten up. Another body was lying on the ground before her. She recognized him as Freed Selzen, unconscious by what she could say.

The entire room was stained with blood. The furniture had been broken. What in the world had happened here?

What made it even worse was that some of the Devils from Kuoh Academy were present. In fact, the entire Gremory peerage was here. One of them, a white haired girl, seemed to be injured and her clothes had been partly cut off. Most likely the work of Selzen.

They all were standing in opposite to Issei and had their eyes on him. But now with her arrival, their attention turned to her. It seemed the cat was probably out of the bag now when it came to their connection.

The Devils were looking at her with wariness and in most cases open hostility. No wonder, they could sense what she was after all.

"Gaeriel," he called out as he saw her.

Great, so much for the last bit of chance at pretending that they had nothing to do with each other, she thought sarcastically.

"Issei, I think we should plan in another lesson about the entire concept of `keeping your mouth shut´, especially in front of Devils," she remarked.

"So you have joined the Fallen Angels Issei," Rias Gremory stated. "I hadn´t thought you would after the last one tried to kill you."

"She is not one of **that** Fallen Angels," Issei replied. Not that this Devil had any right to talk here, he thought. "She belongs to the same group like me."

"Is that so?" she responded distrustful.

"He is telling the truth. I am not a member of the Grigori. In fact, I have infiltrated the group residing in the old church building for our own reasons," Gaeriel told them.

"Really?" Rias asked. Her curiosity was now sparked. "And for what purpose?"

"That is our business and not yours **Devil** ," she replied sharply.

Rias frowned, but held herself back from saying anything. If the group Issei had joined were truly not the Grigori, she at least wanted to avoid a fight with them until she knew more.

"Gaeriel," Issei said to her, "I was able to take a short look into this guy's head. It was only a few glimpses, but I think he might know something important."

Her gaze turned to Freed. Yes, having Selzen captured might turn out more than useful. But as things looked they would very likely have to leave his capture to the Devils.

Not only did they have a very good argument, since he had as it looked nearly killed a member of their peerage. She and Issei also had not the time or a place to actually hold Selzen and guard him. Especially not with her still with the Fallen Angel group and Asia.

But the Devils had **both**.

As an Angel/Fallen Angel **and** a member of the Guardians she didn´t trust a Devil as far as... No, scratch that. She had found out that she could throw a Devil quite far from personal experience.

Well, the point was she didn´t trust them. But this opportunity was too good to pass up.

"Rias Gremory," she finally said, "I want to offer you a deal."

 **xxxxxxx**

Raynare was standing by herself somewhere in the area surrounding the church building. She just wanted some time away from the others.

Things were going well again. Asia Argento was now here and it was now she would probably not even be trying to leave.

But there was still the question of Issei... or whoever it was... who was still out there. It was not so important, she thought. As long as he didn´t interfere. Asia was the Sacred Gear user who truly mattered, she told herself.

But her time alone was cut short in this moment.

 ** _`Yuuma-chan,´_** she heard a well known voice... Issei.

But as Raynare was looking around she didn´t see anybody.

"Where are you?" she called out.

"Yuuma-chan," she heard the voice again, this time it was a bit louder and sounded closer by.

As she turned around this time, she actually saw Issei Hyoudou standing a few meters before her.

"So it **is** really you," she stated.

"Yes, of course it is me. I am **so** happy to see you again," he said with obvious sarcasm. Not that she could truly hold it against him. "Yuuma-chan or should I rather call you Raynare-chan?"

"It seems you have found out a few things," she remarked.

"I know **a lot** ," he responded.

"Issei, tell me, how exactly are you still alive? You are clearly not a Devil, just as I have been told," Raynare questioned.

"There are other people beside **them** who can bring you back," he answered.

"Others? It wasn´t Heaven, was it? No. Then another group? Interesting. Lord Azazel will be very interested in this information."

"Is that **all** you care about?" he asked her. Anger was now shining through his words.

"Oh, what´s with that tone? Can it be that you are still a bit raw about this whole `killing you´ thing?" she asked him mockingly.

"You know, I really cared about you. I had even begun to love you. But what did **you** do?"

Raynare said nothing for a few moments before she answered.

"I took no pleasure in killing you. Like I told you, it was all because of your Sacred Gear. But I will not hesitate to do it again if you disturb my plans for Asia." In this moment she lunged at him.

But she just passed through his body as if it wasn´t even there. And it **wasn´t**. Some sort of projection, she realized. Interesting.

Issei had to suppress a grin. After the last confrontation with the Devils, he, Gaeriel and Ddraig had gone through another few rounds of training. Telepathic projections were a part of it. And this was a good opportunity to test it out... not to mention to get back a little bit at Yuuma.

He reappeared behind her and was laying his arms around her.

"You know, the sad thing is, I can't really fondle your boobs in this form," he told her.

Raynare got a deep blush on her face as she noticed **where** exactly his hands were... and stepped a meter away from him.

" **You**... you have not changed at all," she said.

"I hope not," he replied grinning. "And just that you know. I don´t intend to interfere in your `plans´ for Asia, as long as I am sure that **no harm** will come to her."

"What´s with you and her anyway? Are you already trying to replace me?" she taunted him.

"No... Asia is my friend and I want to protect her... from people like you," he replied.

"Just tell me one thing," he said. " **Why**... why did you kill me?" he asked.

"The plain truth? Orders. Lord Azazel told me to watch over you... but he also warned me that he feared your Sacred Gear could go berserk and endanger everything around you, if it got out of control. Then some of my superiors told me that our leaders decided it would be better to get rid of you.

That and I could hardly deal with that and with Asia at the same time. So I stopped the problem before it even started... and in some sense protected everyone else," she added as if it was an afterthought.

Issei was startled for a moment about this simple explanation. But he was also very uncomfortably reminded of Ddraig´s prediction what would happen **if** his powers got out of control.

"Stopped the problem?" he responded. "You **murdered** me. You were planning to kill Asia. That is reason enough for you to **kill** someone?"

"This is just what happens to Sacred Gear users. If you don´t get used... or killed... by one side, then by the other," she replied coldly. "Believe me, I have seen people die for far **less** reason. We don´t live in a very nice world."

For a short moment Issei wasn´t even sure how he should answer to **that**. But his anger finally caused him to continue talking.

"This happens to Sacred Gear users you say? Well it seems Fallen Angels are not so different, right? I have found out a lot about your kind in the last few days. Let's see. Born into a conflict, Devils and normal Angels are your enemies - no say in that. You all are part of an organization called the Grigori. You all become part of the war, if you **want** to or not.

People around the world hate you just for what you are. Even the ones who never did anything to fall and were just **born** this way. It seems the Sacred Gear users are not the only ones who got a crappy deal, right?

Tell me, do you really believe that the other Fallen Angels will suddenly start to love and adore you, just because you have taken a Sacred Gear from a Nun?" he asked her. "Look at you, the one guy who actually told you that he loved you was the one you stabbed to death. Maybe I should actually feel **sorry** for you."

"Shut up!" Raynare now yelled at him angrily.

"Why do you think this Sacred Gear will give you this, if you didn´t do it for Asia?" he wanted to know.

"This is different for a Fallen Angel," she replied.

"Really?" he asked. "Well, we will see. I will leave it to you. Make **sure** Asia will not be harmed and I won´t interfere." With this words he vanished.

Raynare was left, still starring at the spot were Issei´s thought projection had just been. The plan **will** work out; she was telling herself. He knew nothing about the three Factions except what he might have learned during the last days.

Issei, he **was** alive, she thought.

 **xxx**

A few miles away, stood Issei´s true body, somewhere at a sidewalk in the town. He had just ended the projection and his consciousness had returned.

This short confrontation was one of the hardest things he had ever done, he admitted to himself... and that not only because it was difficult to keep up the projection.

"So Gaeriel, I hope your plan works out," he said quietly.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Abandoned church; The next day_

The ritual had started. Asia´s body was bound to a cross in one of the lower leveled rooms of the building, hanging in front of the two Fallen Angels. But otherwise she was okay.

She was still awake... during the entire process. Before this had started Gaeriel had made sure that the way she was hung up didn´t caused her any unnecessary pain.

Despite that however the fear on her face was clearly to see. Gaeriel had assured her that nothing would happen to her. Still the entire ritual in itself was frightening. She was truly sorry that she had to put Asia through this. But on the other side, the Nun had volunteered to do this.

Gaeriel was performing the `improved´ ritual, while Raynare was standing next to her, waiting to receive the Twilight Healing.

What she didn´t know was that all that was mostly facade. Hanging Asia up on a cross, the long preparation, the strict ceremonial procedure, all this was **unnecessary**. This made Gaeriel only feel even worse that she was putting Asia through this. But it couldn´t be helped. Raynare and especially everyone else, needed to think that this was only a modified version of the original ritual.

In truth however Gaeriel was using a completely different technique. A power that she normally didn´t had on her own. She silently thanked Darien for transferring it to her temporally, for this one task.

`Mirrored Essence, ´ she thought without words as she reached out her hand to Asia´s chest. Her mind and her powers concentrating on her life energy and on that was hidden inside it, the Sacred Gear.

Asia cried out... and a second later sank down motionlessly. Just as she had told her to do it earlier, Gaeriel thought.

One moment later she focused her powers once again and redirected them... and the power was gathering in her right hand, until it was taking form... the Sacred Gear, the Twilight Healing in the physical manifestation of two bright glowing rings.

Then she handed it to Raynare, who was eagerly taking it with a mixture of glee, greed and pure happiness and placed it inside her own chest. The entire body of the Fallen Angel began to glow in a green colored light.

"Yes, yes, it is mine. Finally, I have what I have longed for so long," Raynare exclaimed.

Gaeriel took a side-glance at her. She found her fixation of this Sacred Gear fascinating, she admitted and on some level disturbing. One thing was clear, it was more than just greed or hunger for power that drove her to this.

Then she looked at Asia. She was alright, but she looked tired and her clothes were quite disheveled, in more sense than one. For the ritual she had only been wearing a light nightdress that had seriously slipped out of place. Her left boob was nearly completely hanging out. Issei would have loved to be here in this moment, she thought naughtily.

But she pushed the image away right afterwards. She still had some important things to take care of.

"As I promised you, you have it and Asia is still alive," she addressed Raynare. "Now about the rest of our agreement?"

"Don´t worry. There is only one last thing I need Asia to do for me. I am keeping my word. Then she can go wherever she wants to and start a new life if she wants. And we will leave everyone else to believe that she died here... **despite** your efforts," Raynare told her. "Then nobody will ever go after her again."

"Raynare-sama... thank you," Asia said to her weakly.

The Fallen Angel grimaced a bit at the unexpected words of the Nun. Why in the world would she say something like this? She and the other Fallen had just put her through this painful procedure and she knew that she had originally planned to take her life. So why?

"When Asia has recovered enough tell her to come to me," she said to Gaeriel. "we will be making a little trip... and then, when we return, she will be free.

xxxxxxx

 _Somewhere in Italy_

Cardinal Azetti was sitting behind the desk of the main office of a secret installation of the Catholic Church that he was visiting and waiting for the two people he was here to talk to.

Less than a minute later he heard a knock on the door.

"Please come in," he said in Italian.

The two people who walked in were two very young women, not more than school girls actually. But he knew perfectly well that both of them were trained Exorcists... and beside that both of them were Holy Sword wielders.

"Your Eminence," the first one greeted him, "you wanted to talk to us."

She was 16, maybe 17 years old and had light brown, nearly orange colored hair, that she was wearing in twin tails. Her partner was a but taller than her and had short blueish hair.

"Yes, Irina Shidou and Xenovia Quarta, I am here to inform you that the Church has decided to interrupt your current mission," he told them.

" **What?** " Xenovia said.

A small break of discipline, maybe. But he had already been informed that this girl had somewhat of an impulsive strike.

"An important matter has come up. One that could by our knowledge also help with the task you are currently working on," he stated. "We have been informed that Freed Selzen has been captured..."

At the mention of the infamous Stray Exorcist, both of the girls knew this was truly important.

"... and the ones who are holding him have offered to hand him over to us," Cardinal Azetti informed them. "I want both of you to travel to Japan and retrieve him."

"Your Eminence, it may be Freed Selzen, but by what you said he was already overpowered and detained. May I ask why two Holy Sword users are necessary for this task? especially since we were already on another important mission... and why you are coming in person to tell us?" Xenovia asked him.

"The place where Selzen was captured is in Devil's territory," the Cardinal answered. "To that comes by our information the Devils of this area are involved in this.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Grigori Headquarter - a few hours after the ritual_

Raynare had returned. She was in this moment standing in front of a group of a dozen individuals who were sitting at a long table before her. They were the leaders of the Grigori, the Fallen Angel state and organization.

Asia was standing beside her, proving to everyone that she was still alive, while Raynare demonstrated to all of them that **she** now possessed the power of the Twilight Healing. By cutting her wrist and healing it right afterwards.

The reaction of her leaders was **not** quite what she had expected.

Kokabiel was sitting there, watching silently and looking at her with... approval? This surprised her, since he was the one who had brought up the idea of taking Asia´s Sacred Gear in the first place and she had basically screwed him over. If she had expected one of them to be against her it was him.

Baraquiel on the other hand seemed barely to hold back his hostility. It was clear that he didn´t approve of her latest actions in the slightest.

Shemhazai said nothing. She didn´t know what he was thinking. Penemue seemed to merely looking at her with curiosity.

She had expected her return to either be praised and rewarded or to be court-martialed for acting out of orders. She had been more than ready to face either of them if she was honest. But **this** , this mild reaction? This was much worse. They were **not** impressed... not in the way she had wanted them to.

Curiosity, interest, yes... but mostly about the circumstances how she had gotten the Twilight Healing, not the fact that she had it in the first place.

Azazel was just sitting there in silence, looking at her with an calm expression. Only **that**. The one of them whose attention she had wanted to win most.

Issei´s words were coming back to her.

 _"Do you really believe that the other Fallen Angels will suddenly start to love and adore you, just because you have taken a Sacred Gear from a Nun?"_

* * *

 **Side notes: Since the technique is called `Mirrored Essence´, some of you will possible already suspect what the move that supposedly removed Asia´s Sacred Gear truly did.**

 **Raynare´s reaction to Issei´s confession here was much milder than in the series. But the circumstances were also completely different. In canon Issei had just turned into a Devil, a known enemy group, was trying to stop her plans for Asia and was attacking the church with a group of other Devils.**


	6. Chapter 6: Will you die for me?

**Chapter 6**

 _Kuoh, the Hyoudou home_

Issei´s parents were having an unexpected visitor. His mother opened after she had heard it ringing at the door.

"Yes?" she asked. To her surprise she saw that it was a young girl who was standing outside.

"Ahm, hello Mrs. Hyoudou, I am going to the same class as Issei. My name is Murayama. I wanted to ask if he is here?" the girl asked her.

For a split second, Issei´s mother was staring at her with a open mouth. The Hyoudous were for the most part a quite normal family. One of the few exceptions was that their son was a hopeless pervert, what had made him into an outsider at school.

If there was one thing she would have never expected, then it was a girl standing at their door, asking for him.

"Who is it darling?" Issei´s father asked her from the living room.

"Someone who is asking for Issei," she answered.

"Is it those boys Matsuda and Motohama?" he questioned. They were normally the only ones from his class who usually visited him.

"No... it's... it's a girl," she replied.

"What?" He was similar surprised as his wife.

"I am sorry, but Issei is not here in the moment," she told Murayama.

"Oh, when will he return?"

"I´m not completely sure," she admitted. "To be honest he had not been at home much lately."

"I see," Murayama responded. "Thank you."

The truth was, ever since Issei had been suddenly invited by Rias Gremory a few days ago, she had been wondering. During their discussion then, the usually happy go lucky pervert she knew had suddenly seemed deeply serious and was even calling **them** out for the way they acted. She admitted that left an impression on her.

As she started to actually pay some attention to him, she realized that something actually seemed to be going on with him. The way he was looking and acting was simply different from before. All of that made her somewhat curious... and, pervert or not, Hyoudou was a fellow student. So it couldn´t be wrong to be worried.

When she asked Matsuda and Motohama, who were of course more interested in starring at her breasts than answering questions, she found out that he, despite being their best friend, spend very little time with them during these last few days.

Okay, she admitted she had followed him once or twice after school. Then she had seen him meeting with a woman she had never seen before a few times and every time he and the woman vanished a short time later. All that seemed even more strange to her.

"Shall I tell him that you were here when he returns?" Issei´s mother asked.

"This isn´t necessary. I will just talk to him another time," she answered.

If someone had told her a few days ago that she would be following around... not to say stalking... a member of the perverted trio, she wouldn´t have believed it. But she couldn´t help herself, something was happening with Hyoudou... and she felt that she just had to know what it was.

 **xxxxxxx**

If someone had told Issei one week ago that he would be walking through the corridors of a seemingly abandoned factory building somewhere at the outskirts of the city, **together** with Rias Gremory of all people, he would have thought this person was lying.

If someone had told him that Rias Gremory and the members of her club were Devils and that he and them were together would capture and interrogate an insane priest and serial killer, he would have thought that person was completely out of his mind.

Well...

In this moment he was walking through said building, together with Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima. As they had told him the place was officially abandoned. But in truth the place belonged to the Gremory family, as a storage or in this case a prison for `things´ that were too dangerous to be kept at the school, like Freed Selzen.

They were here to begin the interrogation of the very **clearly insane** Exorcist.

"Here it is," Rias said to him as she was leading him to a door.

He had already seen a room that was filled with various items that were probably connected to Devil culture. This one on the other hand was outfitted like a prison cell, where the Stray Exorcist was being that wasn´t even all of it. As hard as it was to top that level of craziness.

Beside all that he was also having a conversation with a Dragon... and the topic of their current talk was not exactly usual either.

`Dracula. I know there are many strange things out there. But really Ddraig... Dracula?´ Issei questioned.

 **[Yes, Dracula. Or Prince Vlad the III of Walachia if you prefer his official title,] Ddraig replied. [It was clearly him. The man you have seen in the Stray Exorcist´s memories however was when I remember right, Kokabiel, one of the leaders of the Fallen Angels.]**

`The same one that Gaeriel had mentioned is somehow involved with Raynare´s group´ Issei commented.

 **[Yes.]**

He and Ddraig had been talking in a bit more detail about the vision he had experienced, that showed him a battle that had happened in some alternate reality.

What had astonished Issei the most was who exactly one of the people he had seen fighting was. He remembered the man in the red trench coat, with the glowing red eyes... and the **long** **canines**. According to Ddraig, who was connected to his mind and has so seen the vision as well, this guy was nobody else than...

`Your telling me that **Dracula** is a member of the Guardians? You are joking, aren´t you?´ he asked. `Even if he exists, how would he even be on their side?´

 **[No Partner, I am not.]** the Dragon assured him. **[One version of him at least. But he was obviously not the one from our world. In his lifetime as a human he had been one of the most feared rulers and warlords of his race. In secret however he was dealing with far greater powers than that... and with his mortal death he became something different, a so called Nosferatu, a King of the undead, a Vampire of the highest order.**

 **But the one from your vision, he was different... far above even that. This one had somehow evolved into a being whose power even surpasses mine.]**

`You actually sound impressed.´

 **[I am. For a being who started out as human to actually surpass me, not only the power of one of my hosts, but me myself. That is quite impressive.]**

`After all what I have seen, **why** does that even surprise me?´ Issei stated. Yes, his life had obviously turned crazy.

`So he is a member of the Guardians... and that means I am now part of the same group as him?´ the thought obviously unsettled him.

 **[Actually, by what we have seen, he seemed to be one of the higher ranked members of the organization, maybe even one of their leaders. That means if you decide to stay, he will be one of your superiors,]** Ddraig told him.

` **Great** , just what I always wanted, the King of the Vampires as my boss,´ he thought.

 **xxx**

Issei remembered the scenes he had seem of him in his vision. Aside from Darien and his mysterious opponent, the man in the red trench coat had been the most impressive and plainly said, most frightening of the warriors he had seen. The power of all three of them was far... far beyond anything he would have thought possible.

But ironically it was not only their supernatural powers. He remembered the details of the fight. If he had thought the two sword-fighters he had seen at the beginning of the battle, the skill and speed that Darien, the guy he had been fighting against and this `Dracula´ had shown with the blade when they had temporally used short range weapons, made them look like amateurs.

One thought however had crossed his mind. why would beings like this, whose power surpassed even gods, be this good with simple weapons like swords?

 **[As I told you, Vlad Dracula had started out as human,]** Ddraig reminded him. **[It might be the same with the other two.]**

Them?... but. He remembered how absurdly powerful all three of them were. Would he himself one day also be a being like that? he asked himself. Or would he turn into a killing-machine and destroy anyone around him, like Ddraig and Raynare had suggested?

Raynare... even thinking about her had started to hurt. But if this plan worked out he might have to do much more than thinking about her.

 **[Don´t worry Partner. I am sure together we will get this under control. The being who had resurrected you seems quite competent and if he and the others were really born as humans, they are living proof that it is really possible to control that kind of power.]**

`Thank you Ddraig.´

 **[Well, in Dracula´s case, his skill should not really be a surprise. He was a knight of the Order of the Dragon after al** **l,]** he stated with obviously played pride.

`Ddraig, I didn´t know you had a sense of humor´, Issei replied. `But honestly, you could still work on it.´

 **xxx**

Back in the real world.

"We are here," Rias said to him. They had arrived in front of the door and were meeting with Kiba, who was currently standing guard.

Issei admitted he wasn´t exactly feeling well, being here with the Devils who had tried to forcefully recruit him just a few days ago. He didn´t really trust them.

But Gaeriel had offered them a deal and Rias had, as soon as she heard the offer, very quickly agreed. So far she and her entire peerage had been completely cooperative... no tricks, no manipulations. What Gaeriel had promised was obviously quite important to her.

"Has he said anything yet?" Rias asked Kiba.

"Only if you mean throwing a lot of insults at us, then yes Buchou," Kiba replied stoically.

"I see," she answered.

They entered the small room, Akeno right behind them and Kiba still standing at the door.

Freed was shackled and tied to a chair that was chained to the walls. Ironically it was a quite similar position as his latest victim.

"You shit-headed Devils think you are so great?" he growled at them. "Had it not been for your pal over there," he was looking at Issei, "then I would have screwed your little girl until she could no longer stand and then cut off her fucking head."

Rias slapped him across the face as she heard what he just said.

"Let me make one thing clear. We have all seen what you have done to Koneko and you won´t get away with this. If I had my way you would be already rotting away, right next to the human you have killed, but our temporally... ahm allies think you might know something important. So tell me, what you know about the Fallen Angel group in this town?" she asked him angrily.

"What I know is the position you will be in when I get out of here... bend over and screaming your lungs out with something hard deep inside your ass, just like so many other whores like you."

Rias was backhanding him again and then even gave him a punch right in the face. She had gotten really angry now. She couldn´t help herself, but this guy just set her off.

"Tell me, beating a chained up man... do you **get off** on this? Is that the thing for you Devils?" Freed asked her.

"Well, to be honest, it is **my** thing," Akeno admitted, grinning brightly. She had been following their exchange with great interest and a more than a bit wicked smile on her face. She actually seemed to be a bit... aroused, Issei thought.

He wasn´t quite sure about what to think about **this** side of Akeno-senpai. He admitted it made him somewhat uncomfortable.

"Normally **I** would be the one doing the part of the `interrogation´ which Buchou right now so eagerly performs." She grinned. "But to be honest, you are not really my type," she told him. "You are too vulgar. So I will leave it to her... **this** time," she stated.

Freed only laughed at this.

"Oh, I see. The lady is a perverted sadist. But she still has her `standards´. It is kind of amusing, don´t you think?" he commented.

"Let me deal with him," Issei said to them.

Like the last time he reached out with his newy developed mental powers to the Stray Exorcist´s mind. This time however he avoided to actually look into Freed´s deranged mind. He just concentrated on forcing information out of it.

The mental barriers of the Stray Exorcist were holding him back for a few moments. But then he focused his powers even more. As some kind of signal, a trigger for the full extent of his telepathic powers - it was something he just came up with - he snapped with his fingers... and Freed began to talk.

And with every word he heard Issei became more angry.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Grigori Headquarters_

At the same time Raynare was still facing her leaders.

"Now Raynare, tell me, what exactly do you think we should do with you?" Azazel asked her. For a short moment he actually sounded a bit amused and a grin flashed across his face. But then he was dead serious again.

"On one side you have secured a very valuable Sacred Gear for our race. And you have extracted it and keeping the original owner alive. On the other you have acted without authorization, you killed a non-involved Sacred Gear user and you gave false information to a few of your superiors. Maybe we should reward you first and then bring you before a court martial. What do you say?"

"Court martial? How can you even consider punishing her Azazel-sama? She is a hero of our race after all," Kokabiel addressed him.

"A hero?" Baraquiel asked incredulous. "She had murdered a 16 year old human teenager and she had at least been planning to kill this girl too," he said, looking at Asia.

"A teenage boy that even Lord Azazel admitted could have become a threat," Kokabiel responded, "and an excommunicated Nun who had, according to the reports, at least considered to betray us and defect. She would be gone and her Sacred Gear with her." He sends a glare to poor Asia, who was already intimidated from being here and was now actually fighting the urge to hide behind Raynare of all people.

"How many other lives have we already sacrificed without a second thought?" Kokabiel asked them the question those answer they all already knew. Too many.

"Now Baraquiel. You know as good as me that if we locked up everyone who killed someone for one weird reason or the other, half of the Underworld would be imprisoned..." Azazel commented, "... and the other half would be standing guard."

"I know that. But that doesn´t mean I like it," he replied.

They all knew that the Fallen Angels didn´t have much choice when it came to their methods or to their **allies**. That was the only reason why people like Freed Selzen were even tolerated work for their organization.

And that was also the reason that the chances of Raynare and her group actually getting a serious punishment for killing an outsider and acting without orders were pretty low. Not if people like Selzen were doing things like that and **worse** every week... under **their** protection... and were getting away with it because they were **needed**.

No, Raynare´s latest actions were only a symptom of a far greater problem. Something that needed to be changed if there should ever be a chance for true peace.

How can their lower ranks be expected to show discipline and follow their orders or even to respect the lives of other races, when their leadership is letting mass-murderers into their ranks and in some cases allows them to run amok? And how would this lower ranks react if one of them would get punished for something human Stray Exorcists get away with all the time in their organization?

Punishing Raynare now would only made them all look like hypocrites. Especially with Kokabiel obviously trying to stir up trouble.

"You don´t like it Baraquiel? Or is it more about the fact that that boy was **human**?" Kokabiel suggested. "You have a weakness for human's haven´t you? You were even married to one and had a daughter with her."

"What do you think my family has to do with this?" Baraquiel asked him angrily.

"Just that you **had** this family until someone who hated our kind decided to kill them. So the loss of human children is probably something of a wound point for you, right? But on the second though, your daughter is still alive, isn´t she?

Oh right, she had just abandoned you and joined the Devils. She is right now with our enemies and is helping them to kill our people."

"How dare you?" Baraquiel growled.

"What? telling you the truth. Your daughter is a traitor... and you are doing nothing about it, like trying to bring her back. Instead you are sitting here, trying to take the moral high ground and place judgement on people who actually care about our race. Of course if she were here, you wouldn´t ask to have **her** punished, would you? Because you care more about humans and their offspring than your own kind."

Baraquiel jumped up from his seat. He looked as if he was ready to throw a lightspear at his comrade.

"You bastard," he hissed.

But Kokabiel was only sitting there, grinning.

"That is enough Kokabiel," Shemhazai cut in. "This is not a question of the species."

"Well, of course you would be saying this, given who your wife is," Kokabiel retorted, reminding them all that their Vice Governor had married a Devil. "But at least you are leaving her influence on you in the bedroom where it belongs."

"Your attitude is not helping at all Kokabiel," Penemue who was sitting at the right end of the table, pointed out.

Raynare had meanwhile been watching with shock and to be honest, even slight amusement how her `esteemed leaders´ were verbally ripping themselves apart.

What was frustrating however was that Kokabiel was the only one who actually seemed to back her up. For a short moment she asked herself why she was even trying so hard to impress these people.

"Actually Issei... I mean the boy Raynare-sama has killed, is alive again," someone spoke up a bit timidly. They realized that it was Asia Argento.

" **Is** he... eh?" Azazel questioned.

Somehow there was a playful undertone in his voice. But it was something that only the people who knew him would realize.

Yes, the fact that the boy had been returned to life was about the best part about this entire mess. And **not** by the Devils, what would have made everything probably only more complicated in the long run. Especially now that he knew **who** this boy was.

Raynare, he thought. Why did it had to be **her** of all of them who ended up pulling something like this?

Oh yes, he knew exactly why. This desperate desire to prove herself to him. Her nearly obsessive need to gain his and the other leader´s attention.

He was willing to bet every last one of his wings that it was Kokabiel who had placed this idea with the Twilight Healing into her head in the first place. But right now there was little he could do about it.

Azazel knew a part of it was his own fault. He had seen the problem with her coming months ago. He could have confronted her and talked with her about it. But he had other things on his mind and she was after all only one of many group-leaders under his command. Instead he had ignored it and send her to the mission in Kuoh.

Whatever you could say, telling a young woman with a borderline obsession to please him, that the Sacred Gear user she was meant to observe was a potential threat was clearly not one of his smartest decisions.

"It looks like this discussion is leading us **nowhere** ," Azazel announced. "Fighting each other will help none of us," he stated, looking at Kokabiel. "If you allow me I would like to make a suggestion. If you all agree with it, I want to take care of this matter by myself. To be precise, there is a special assignment that needs to done and Raynare here is the perfect candidate for it."

This statement surprised all of them, especially Raynare herself. For a split second it crossed her mind that Azazel had maybe `something else´ in mind to let her make up for acting outside of his orders.

She wouldn´t say no, she knew. Not if it was **him**.

But what was said a moment later convinced her that this was clearly not the case.

"Special assignment? How come I didn´t know anything about this?" Penemue asked him. By her expression it was good possible that she had the same thought as Raynare did.

Given that lust was a common sin under the Fallen Angels and Azazel´s own reputation, it wouldn´t even be that far off.

But he proofed both of them wrong instantly.

"It is a mission that is top-secret even under the higher ranks," he answered. "And I myself have only found out about this a short time ago. Besides that, for it will be necessary to remove her from the official ranks for some time. There will be neither an official reward or punishment. She will just disappear for some time. I think that would be the best for everyone involved right now.  
When she finished this mission successfully, then she will have fulfilled a great service to all of us. Her failings will be forgotten and she will be rewarded for **all** her achievements for our cause. That means of course if you agree to this terms Raynare," he said.

"I... Lord Azazel, I don´t know what to say. Of course I agree," she replied.

"Good, meet me in my office after this meeting. I will discuss the details with you," he told her.

All of them were looking at him in surprise. But none of them were against it. This would get the problem out of their hands and served, by what Azazel said, even a long time purpose.

"And about you Asia Argento," the leader of the Fallen Angels addressed her, "as I have heard you are intending to leave our faction?"

"Y..yes, I... I do," she answered nervously. "I have found people who are willing to take care of me. I..." she interrupted herself for a short moment. "... Raynare-sama now possesses the Twilight Healing and thanks to her most other people now think I am dead, so..."

"I see," Azazel replied. "Does anyone of you protest her decision to leave us?" he asked.

Asia was looking at the Fallen Angels in the room. To them she was now only a human girl, without any special powers, fighting skills or other uses. There was no longer a **reason** to hold her. None of them said anything.

"Good Asia, then you are free to go and live wherever you want to," he told her.

"Thank you Lord Azazel," she said.

Kokabiel had been following the events without another word. The plan had clearly not worked out, otherwise none of these two would even be here. The question only question was why.

There was a reason he had made a pact with that disgusting Devil in the first place, as much as he hated the thought. It was about time he contacted with his `ally´

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Kuoh academy_

"Rias, we need to talk," she was greeted, a short time after she and Akeno had returned to their club room, by two young women in student uniforms.

Both of them had dark hair, the first one in a short bob cut and both were wearing glasses.

For the human students this two were Sona Shitori, the President of the Student Council and her Vice President Tsubaki Shinra. Behind that however they were Sona **Sitri** , the King of the other Devil peerage that was controlling this area and her Queen.

"Yes Sona?" Rias asked her. "What do you want to talk about?"

"First of it is about this dangerous Stray Exorcist who you are holding prisoner," Tsubaki stated in Sona´s place.

"I assure you that he is completely secured and he won´t stay for long anyway," Rias said, looking at both of them. "Besides that, the place where he is held belongs to the Gremory family alone. So it is **my** responsibility."

"I am aware of that," Sona answered. "But it is not only this. There is also this agreement you have made with a group that we have never heard of before."

"That makes it an ideal opportunity to find out more about them," Rias countered.

"Don´t try to fool me Rias. I know exactly what they have offered you," she responded. "By the way, while you were absent Grayfia had been trying to contact you."

"Grayfia, what did she want?"

"Oh, I am not quite sure. She only told me to tell you to call back, but by what she said it seems to be connected with Raiser." The thin smile on Sona´s face as she said this was barely to see.

But Rias did notice. She knew that her friend Sona was mocking her a little.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Grigori Headquarter_

Raynare followed Azazel to his personal office. If she was honest, she wasn´t quite sure what to expect.

Maybe he was indeed secretly happy about what she did and wanted to tell her this in private. But after all what had been said she wasn´t so sure anymore.

She knew she had completely overstepped her competencies. She acted behind the back of her superiors and even killed people she was not supposed to kill. But she had acted in his best interest. Or at least that was what she was telling herself.

But was that truly the case? she had a moment of doubt, or were the problems her actions caused greater than the benefit?

All that however didn´t change one single fact. She had misused his trust.

As they both entered the room together, the thought once again crossed her mind that maybe he considered sex as a way to `work out´ their differences. It wasn´t that uncommon under the Grigori. But for some reason the thought now seemed to make her uncomfortable.

Of course it was clearly not his main intention. Then he would not have been talking about a secret mission and her leaving the official ranks. But that didn´t mean that he didn´t maybe considered **this** as well. She caught herself thinking for a moment if she wasn´t technically still Issei´s girlfriend... and whatever sins she had committed, she didn´t want unfaithfulness to be one of them. Sure she had killed him, but he came back and during their last meeting, he didn´t exactly seemed disinterested.

Less than a second later she shut down the absurd thought. She was a murderer and was worried about cheating on her `boyfriend´? It was not as if she had real feelings for Issei Hyoudou... and even if she had, she knew about his plans to have an entire harem. So it wasn´t as if he would be faithful to **her**.

Who was she kidding? She **did** have such feelings, otherwise she wouldn´t have such thoughts in the first place. When she had killed him, she had been cool like ice and completely businesslike. She didn´t actually resented him. To be honest she found him funny, even a bit cute, in a completely ridiculous kind of way. But of course so far beneath her that she would have never actually considered **anything**.

But since she had heard that he came back... and had met him again. The way he was acting **now**. That he had practically ordered her not to harm Asia... the little bitch.

That he confessed his love for her.

Developing feelings for a guy that you were not only planning to kill, but who you actually **did** kill. Stupid Raynare, stupid, she told herself.

And that enough to feel bad about the thought of a possibility that you would have jumped for a week ago. But she knew perfectly well that it wasn´t really likely that Lord Azazel truly wanted **that** from her... at least here and now.

 _"The only one who actually confessed his love for you, was the one you killed,"_ she remembered Issei´s words.

But then she was brought out from her daydream by Azazel.

"So Raynare, you always wanted my full attention. Now you certainly **have** it," he said to her as he sat down.

"Lord Azazel, I..." she didn´t quite know what to say anymore.

"Say nothing. Let me see," he said to her, " **you** think that I don´t value you, that I don´t appreciate you and your efforts for our cause. You think that I don´t see your worth you like I should and don´t pay enough attention to you. Well, it seems I have truly made a lot of mistakes. Isn´t that right Raynare?"

"What?" she nearly called out. She barely managed to keep her voice down.

"Please, it is clearly to see for everyone that you feel unappreciated, lonely and neglected. It became so bad that you even felt the need to achieve this plan behind the back of **me** and the entire leadership. I failed to act and give you what you needed. So all what happened is obviously **my** fault, right?" he asked her with obvious sarcasm.

"O... of course not. How can you say something like this?" she stammered.

"Really? Is this not how you really feel Raynare? That **I** have failed you."

"No, of course not."

"You dream about becoming one of my higher officers, a member of my inner circle, maybe even **more** than that," he suggested, leaving it open to interpretation what he meant.

 _`Yes´_ , something inside Raynare shouted. But she didn´t say anything.

"And when I didn´t give you what you **thought** you deserved, you secretly blamed me for it. So you decided to do something radical to gain my attention and since I could not be trusted, after all I was the one who had not seen your worth in the first place, you decided to do it all behind my back.

Of course it was all for the best of our people. Since obviously you know so much **better** what is best for our people than I do. Isn´t that how you **truly** feel deep down Raynare?"

How... how could he say something like that? she asked herself. But she remembered there were times when she actually felt like this.

"You know," he continued, "I had always considered you one of my most loyal subordinates. By far not the strongest or experienced of course, but one of the most loyal. Sadly, it seems I was wrong."

"What? How can you say that?" she called out. "I..."

"I know inside your own mind, you did this all for my sake and the sake of our race. That is maybe the saddest part of this entire mess. But a leader cannot tolerate subordinates who are acting without orders the entire time. Otherwise he won´t stay a leader for much longer. You thought having the Twilight Healing in the hands of a Fallen would be an advantage for our race and technically you were right.

But you didn´t know the whole situation. You couldn´t have known. You have talent and potential Raynare, but in many ways you are still like a child."

She felt as if she had been slapped.

 _"It was like playing house with a little child,"_ her own words to Issei went through her head.

"You really left me in a difficult situation. As you saw today, Kokabiel is trying to undermine the rest of the leadership. He wants nothing more than to start a new Great War that could destroy us all... and now he is using you as a tool to spread dissent.

If I would reward you for your actions or do nothing about it, it would encourage others to do similar things and weaken my position. Kokabiel would without a doubt take advantage of this. If I would punish you, Kokabiel would claim that I treat our own kind worse than the Stray Exorcists who are working for us, who get away with such actions all the time and use it against me as well.

And that is not even everything. Do you even know who the boy is that you have killed? I have just got information a short time ago which Sacred Gear it is that he possesses. It is the Boosted Gear. He is the **Red Dragon Emperor**."

Raynare was now just sitting there frozen in shock. Red Dragon Emperor?... Issei was...

"To our luck however it doesn´t seems that he is aiming for revenge against you," Azazel stated, "or against the rest of us," he added. "But that is the only good thing about **this**. So tell me, what shall I do with you?"

"I... I am sorry, I didn´t know. I had been told that you wanted it to happ..."

"Yes you did. You had been deceived. We all were. And that is your one and only excuse," he said sternly. "I guess a part of it is actually my fault," he admitted. "I should have made myself clearer **why** I wanted Issei Hyoudou observed. I should have made clear that I wanted him **alive**... Maybe then you wouldn´t have fallen for these false orders," he commented.

"Listen, I have been offered an opportunity... for **both** of us in a way. I have recently found out about two powerful new forces that had gotten active in our areas and the one of our enemies. The first one is a dangerous terrorist organization those trail I found some time ago and that recruits their members out of all three Factions.

The other one... is even more mysterious. I have found out about their existence only a few days ago. But they don´t seem to be hostile. In fact, they came to me and offered cooperation."

"Cooperation?" she asked.

"They claim to be after this terror-organization as well and they offered to work together with us and they have even agreed to accept members of the Grigori in their group."

Raynare saw where this was going.

"So you want me to..."

"Yes, I want you to join them. I want you to be my eyes and ears in this group. I want you to help them fight the terror-organization that is a threat to all of us. But at the same time I want you to find out all about them what you can."

"But that..." Raynare stated.

"They have agreed to let you contact me regulary and give a status report and they agreed to give me all information about their organization that is not considered top-secret. But only under the condition **that** we work together.

I won´t sugarcoat it Raynare. This mission is extremely dangerous. We know barely anything about this people. There is no guarantee that they are truly as benevolent as they claim and even then you will fight against terrorists with people we barely know. You will fight with them, work with them, fight with them, but unofficially you will still be a member of the Grigori. You are also free to bring the other members of your team with you if you think it is the right decision.

If you refuse, I will just restore you to your old position and give you a new post. You will not be officially punished. But you will not be rewarded either... and you will stay there and won´t get any sort of promotion for the foreseeable future."

Placed at the sidelines, that was the human term, Raynare thought.

"I see. So you are sending me off because I became deadweight to you anyway," she stated bitterly.

"You know the situation Raynare. I wish it was different. Maybe in time I would give you another task to win back my trust. But as it is now, **this** is your chance. If you succeed, you **will** be promoted to the higher ranks and as promised, your mistakes will be forgotten."

"Yes... and like I already said, I accept," she answered.

"Good, because as it seems the representative of our new allies just arrived," Azazel stated a second later.

A magic circle appeared on the ground before them and the Fallen Angel Raynare knew as Gaeriel appeared in the room.

"You have arrived," he greeted her.

"Azazel, has everything worked out?" she asked him.

"It indeed did," he said. "Asia Argento is not longer part of our faction and Raynare here has agreed to temporally join your group."

"Her group? But I thought she was working for you?" Raynare questioned. "You have tricked me?" she realized, accusing Gaeriel.

"Well, that was maybe what she has told you, but in fact I have never met her until two days ago," Azazel commented.

"Yes. I have tricked you, just like you have tricked Issei," she reminded her. "But I did it with the best intentions. After all, you now have the Twilight Healing, just like you wanted and you didn´t need to kill Asia for it."

Raynare didn´t say anything.

"Raynare," Azazel addressed her, "one last thing. This entire plan to take Asia Argento´s Sacred Gear, is it possible that it has originally not been your idea? That someone else had brought it up?"

"Yes," she answered after a short hesitation.

"Was it Kokabiel?"

"... Yes," she replied once again.

"I see," Azazel stated. "Just like killing Hyoudou then," he said quietly.

 **xxxxxxx**

A few minutes later the three of them, Raynare, Asia and Gaeriel, had teleported back to Kuoh.

For Raynare it was right the next shock as she saw who was awaiting them as the town border... Issei Hyoudou was standing there, waiting for them.

"You," she called out, looking from him to Gaeriel and back, "you two are working together?" She also remembered the shock as she found out what kind of Sacred Gear Issei possessed.

"Yes, does that really surprise you?" Gaeriel asked. "As it seems we are all on the same team now." She grinned.

Raynare barely held back a growl as she began to realize how far she had been duped. As she looked at Issei however, his eyes seemed to avoid her. `Does that really surprise you?´ she asked herself. ´You have killed him.´

Asia meanwhile was running towards him.

"Issei, it has worked. I am free now. I can live wherever I want," she told him.

"That is good." He laid his arms around her.

"Do you still want me to live with your family?" she asked.

"Of course."

Seeing the entire scene, Raynare could once again feel the burning rage coming up inside her. A part of her actually regretted **not** killing Asia. There was no sense to longer deny it, she actually **was** jealous.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _A few hours later_

It was at the same afternoon that Issei, Gaeriel, Raynare and Asia were meeting again with Rias peerage, who had Freed with them.

They had teleported to a small forest area, a few miles outside of the town, where they had agreed to meet with Rias and the others.

Asia was with them, but she was looking completely different from before. She had her hair dyed in a brown color and was wearing it in a ponytail, with two loose strands at both sides of her face. Which made her only look even cuter in Issei´s opinion. Her Nun outfit had she switched against regular clothes and for this day, she was wearing glasses.

Gaeriel had also used a technique to mask the fact that she actually **still possessed** the Twilight Healing and that Raynare´s version was a copy.

They had by now introduced Asia to Issei´s parents. Like Issei had already planned, he told them the story how he had found her in the town and asked them if she could stay with them for a while. Given how Issei knew his parents and that they sometimes talked about how it would be to have a daughter, he knew there was a good chance that `a while´ would turn into permanently very soon.

"This is Maia," he introduced Asia to the Devils under her false name. None of them would know who she truly was. This was also a test how good Asia´s disguise worked in extreme situations.

If she needed to have a normal life in Kuoh, she needed to be able to fool Devils and maybe even Exorcists, at least over a short time.

"You have brought him here?" Issei stated towards Rias.

"Yes," she replied. "We will meet with the agents of the Church very soon and hand him over."

At her sign Kiba and Akeno brought Freed closer who was still in chains.

"Oh look who we have here," the captured Stray Exorcist exclaimed, "the shitty Devils, the Sacred Gear boy, Raynare and another Fallen Angel, all together and a little girl," he was looking at Asia a bit longer than at the other. But he wasn´t saying anything... for the moment. "Are we all collaborating with the enemy now?" He asked them and grinned.

"You of all people have nerve to say that Selzen," Issei stated.

"Did you bring anything out of him?" Gaeriel asked him.

"You can say that," he replied. "So Freed, why don´t you tell them exactly what you have told **me**?"

For a split-second the Stray Exorcist was looking at him in visible rage.

"Now, since you have already brought me to spill the beans to you... by the way, an interesting technique, I will make sure to **repay** you someday bastard," he said with open malice. "Well, I guess it can't hurt to tell you all the whole story once again, right?"

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Grigori Headquarters_

The meeting between the leaders of the Fallen Angel faction had just come to it´s end. Ultimately **nothing** had been decided. Just like Kokabiel had intended.

Azazel however seemed to have his own plans for little Raynare. It didn´t matter, he thought. She was no longer truly his concern. There were enough others who could take her place.

He created a magic circle and transported himself to a place in a safe distance from the headquarter, where he would not be overheard.

Another circle appeared close to him, a smaller one meant for communication.

"Kokabiel, I have been expecting to hear from you," a voice greeted him.

"I can imagine. Tell me, what has happened? We have you not attacked like it was our plan?" he asked the voice.

"Yes why? That is a good question," he responded. "Let us say things were not exactly like they were supposed to be. For once another Fallen Angel had arrived that you didn´t have informed me about."

"One more would hardly be a problem," Kokabiel countered. "Your forces would still outnumber them."

"And there was also that little Asia actually survived the ritual," the voice commented. "That was not what we agreed to. She was meant to die, so that I can bring her back and be her savior. This was not what we agreed to. Asia was meant to belong to me and in exchange I would leave her Sacred Gear to you. That was our deal, right? But with this new Fallen showing up, who said that I could still trust you? Maybe it was instead meant to be a trap for **me**."

Coward, Kokabiel thought. Of course someone like **him** would only act if the situation was absolutely in his favor.

"Listen Diodora," he said, "it is not possible to control a situation completely. This other Fallen was send by Azazel, I had no say in that. But it still could have worked out if you haven´t hesitated. Now both Asia and Argento and the Twilight Healing are out of our hands."

"Yes, it seems the plan has failed," the Devil replied. "It is really sad. Well I will find her again and try anew."

"Then do that by yourself," Kokabiel stated angrily. "I have other matters to deal with."

"If you say so. I wish you good luck with your plans Kokabiel," he said and ended the communication.

Idiot, the Fallen Angel thought.

Normally a Fallen Angel General like Kokabiel and Diodora Astaroth, a High Class Devil from a prestigious family, would have never come to see eye to eye with each other... if it were not for a certain organization that they were both part of, even in different arms.

But that didn´t mean that they trusted or liked each other. Sacred Gear? The truth was that Kokabiel had never any real interest in the Twilight Healing. Actually, he fully expected his `partner´ to betray him and keep both **it** and Asia Argento for himself. This was what a Devil would do after all.

No, he intended him and his servants to attack their base and very likely kill Raynare and the rest of her team. That was why he had placed the idea with the Twilight Healing inside her head and gave that Devil her and Asia´s location and the date when the extraction-ritual would take place.

Then he could use this attack to stir up the Grigori leadership even more to his course of war. If Diodora had decided to keep the Twilight Healing for himself, he could have even accused him of starting the entire attack just for stealing the Sacred Gear in the first place.

Raynare and her comrades? Their role had from the beginning been the one of martyrs for his cause. But as things were now, this wouldn´t work out anymore. But maybe he could still do something with the rest of her team.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Outside of Kuoh_

"So you see, it had all been planned from the very beginning. Diodora, he had actually injured himself, just to get little Asia kicked out of the Church. He has this thing for Nuns you know. He just loves turning them into his playthings. You see him and Kokabiel, they are both in the same organization. So they made a deal.

My role? Well, I was send here to heat up things a little. To make sure everything goes smoothly. You know, killing people, attacking a few Devils. Good old Kokabiel wants nothing more than to start a war, you know?...

And you Raynare and your little team, I fear you were only set up to be killed off from the start." He laughed. "He just wanted you to **die** for him the entire time," he announced.

Raynare was just standing there, starring at him like frozen. Then she was looking at Issei and back.

She looked down and seemed to whisper something quietly. Most of them didn´t understand it. But Issei, who had moved closer to her, did.

 _"Will you die for me?"_ he heard the words she had repeated.

Raynare couldn´t take it anymore. After the words she had gotten from Azazel, after finding out about Issei´s Sacred Gear, **this** was just too much.

She couldn´t say anything and just turned around and walked away quickly. She could barely keep herself from running, but she didn´t want to humiliate herself even more in front of **them**.

"What´s with her?" Freed asked mockingly as he saw her leave. "I guess some people can't take the truth," he stated. "Oh and little Asia, her `rescuer´ would have quickly turned her into a sex-toy. Diodora really knows how to break them in. Even I am impressed here. He would for sure have much fun with her. She was such a cute little thing. Who knows, if I had asked nicely, maybe he would let me have a turn too. But too bad that won´t happen now because she is dead, right?... right?" he asked in Issei´s direction.

As he said this Asia walked forward, until she was standing right in front of him... and without saying a word, kneeled him right in the crotch.

"Agh," Freed called out in pain. "You little bitch," he howled. "I will get you for this. I know about you."

Rias and the other Devils were only smiling.

Issei however was looking with an open mouth at Asia as he saw what she had just done. He could not believe it.

He was staring at her for a few seconds, before he turned around and left.

 **xxx**

A part of him truly questioned why he was doing this. Why... why was he going after Raynare?

He found her about a minute later. She was leaning with her back against a tree... and it looked as if she had tears in her eyes.

"Issei..." she said as she saw him, "... I am sorry. I am so sorry. I am such a bitch."

He could hardly disagree here, he thought. But he didn´t say anything.

Despite what she did to him, after hearing Freed´s story twice now, he could not help to feel somewhat sorry for her.

He saw that she was indeed crying.

"Issei... forgive me... please," she said between sobs.

"I..." he wanted to say something, but he didn´t bring a word out. He saw that his hands were shaking.

She realized it as well.

"I see. I must have really hurt you."

"Like **hell** you did," he replied with a sudden burst of anger.

"I am sorry. Will you at least allow me to make it up to you? Will you give me a chance? I - I know now how you must feel."

He nodded.

"Thank you," she said.

"We have to return to the others. Are you coming?" He asked in a grim tone and wanted to turn around.

"Issei, could you... could you not tell anybody that you have seen me like this?" she pleaded.

"Of course," he answered.

"Thank you."

 **xxxxxxx**

The place where they were meeting with the Church agents was once again a few miles further away from the town.

They had arrived at the agreed place and were waiting.

After around ten minutes they saw two figures appearing and coming closer. Both of them were wearing blue robes and had hood over their heads and they could feel holy energy radiating from them... Exorcists.

As they had arrived and were standing only a few meters away, they could see that both of them were young girls.

"Issei," one of the two figures called out to everyone´s surprise as she saw them.

She lifted her hood and they could see that it was a girl with light brown-orange colored hair that she was wearing in twin-ponytails.

The girl stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"Issei, it is me, Irina," she told him.

He could feel both Asia and Raynare stare at him.

* * *

 **This has turned out the longest chapter so far. Over 8000 words. But I wanted to come at least so far and the content just seemed to stretch itself.**

 **This is now the end of the first story arc. Irina and Xenovia have arrived. Raiser has been announced, but he will probably only have a small part in the story.**

 **If anybody asks why Raynare has not gotten a more serious punishment for her actions? This is the same organization that had recruited known murderers like Freed and Valper in the first place and seemed to let at least Freed get away with killing people left and right. So would you truly expect that?**

 **GemWarrior: Half right. The Twilight Healing is a copy. But the Grigori leaders are under the few people who know that Asia is still alive. They think however she has lost her Sacred Gear and is now worthless for them. Also, the Guardians had actually contacted Azazel beforehand and made a agreement with him.**

 **Thanks for reviewing.  
**


	7. Chapter 7: Out of place (Arc 2: start)

**Chapter 7  
**

 _The town `Kuoh´ in `Japan´, Kuoh Academy_

The black clothed figure was standing in the middle of the club-room belonging to the Occult Research Club. He was able to get in completely unnoticed... taking everybody by surprise... and would have been able to leave in the same way... if he wanted.

His method of teleportation was completely different from anything the supernaturals here knew. He could just appear right inside the building and only be seen when it was already too late. Like this time.

The group of Devils was caught completely off-guard when he was suddenly standing inside their rooms. Yet they were still trying to put up a fight as they saw his intentions and were of course failing.

He saw the Devil he was holding onto by her throat was struggling to break free.

Another one, the dark haired Fallen Angel hybrid, he had literally nailed at the door with multiple spears made out of ice that he had conjured and that were now rammed through her chest and stomach. He could just see the last bit of life leaving her eyes.

The smaller white haired girl was already lying lifeless to his feet.

One of the last who was still left, the blonde Knight, was raising his sword wordlessly and moved to attack him. He barely reacted to the insignificant threat. The man just made a small gesture and Yuuto Kiba´s body was ripped apart from the inside out.

He turned his attention back to the Devil he was holding. She had tried to use an attack against him, but he stopped it before she even began. He had made sure to let her watch how he had easily destroyed her peerage without even trying. Before he broke her neck and let her dead body fall to the ground.

He was looking down at her, Rias Gremory, her Queen, her Knight, her Rook, all eliminated.

Then he turned to the last two people who were left in the room. The small blonde girl Asia Argento. She wasn´t a fighter, so he decided to make her end quick. He conjured his own sword into his hand and separated her head from her body.

And to the last one, who had been screaming desperately the entire time, when he had seen what the stranger had been doing. The last remaining member of the peerage, Issei Hyoudou, who was being pressed against the wall by the powers of the attacker´s Sacred Gear.

He could have easily finished off this one like the others, but his masters had told him that they had still interest in him. This here was one of the universes where Rias Gremory had succeeded in turning Issei Hyoudou into her servant.

"You bastard," the boy yelled, trying in vain to hold back his tears. "Why... why did you do this?"

He was trying to break free, but the blood in his veins was being controlled by his enemy´s power and holding him back. Hyoudou was draining power from his own Boosted Gear, but his body was far from able to reach a high enough strength to overcome the invisible grip.

"Why?" the man repeated his question. "Does there really need to be a reason to finish off a group of Devils?" he asked casually. But then a grin formed on his face.

"You," Issei growled in a nearly blind rage.

The stranger was only looking at him, but then another thought was coming to the man´s mind.

"Actually Issei Hyoudou," he said, "you should thank me."

"Thank you?" he shouted. "You killed my friends. You..."

"Friends?" the man asked curiously. "You are the Red Dragon Emperor, as I have been told. You should stand on your own and not be enslaved to an arrogant and spoiled Devil. Or bound to people who would only slow you down," he said with a glance at Asia´s body.

"I will kill you. I swear I will kill you, no matter what I have to do," Issei screamed.

The being who had just wiped out the entire Gremory peerage was just returning his gaze with slight amusement.

"Issei have you ever asked yourself one question..." he stated. "How was Rias Gremory able to place a Summoning Flyer on you during the date where you were killed, unless she knew what was going to happen the entire time?"

Issei froze. The boy understood where this was going. He was clearly not as stupid as you got the impression.

"She had someone in place to take photos of you. Just to show them to you later. How come she did nothing to warn you or keep you from getting killed?" the stranger questioned. "Unless of course she actually **intended** for you to die."

"No... that isn´t true. Buchou wouldn´t do something like that," Issei exclaimed.

"Even now you deny the truth, even if it is thrown in your face. It is kind of pathetic actually," the man responded. "I truly don´t know why my associates asked me to spare a fool like you. Your so called friends have been lying to you every day. The only true innocent under them was Asia, but of course she happened to be in my way."

As he heard this words the rage returned to Issei´s face. But before anything more was said, the door was being slammed open.

Just like he had expected, the other Devil peerage of this town had arrived, after they had realized that something was wrong. It had taken them only a few minutes to come here.

But a **few minutes** were all the entire fight **and** his `conversation´ with Hyoudou had cost him.

Sona Sitri and her Queen were standing in the door, with the entire rest of her peerage right behind them.

"Rias," she called out as she saw the body of her friend on the ground and her massacred servants lying around her.

"Who are you?" she shouted at the intruder. "Who has send you?" Her fury rivalled that Issei had shown a few moments ago. For Sona, who was normally always calm and composed, nearly emotionless at the outside, this was very unusual. But given the situation nobody was surprised.

"Who has send me? That is a good question," he replied. "I am told to give you my greetings from Azazel," the man said. "Or was it Michael? I am not sure anymore." He grinned.

" **You**." Her rage became even more visible since the attacker who had just murdered her friend and her servants was obviously toying with her. "Don´t think that you can play with us. Who had send you?" she yelled.

But the man only laughed.

"Oh and Hyoudou... I am afraid you **won´t** kill me. In fact, you will never see me again after this day. Even if you travelled to the end of your world you won´t find me," he stated.

He was telling the truth. His counterpart in this world, he knew had been dead for many years and the current owner of the Sacred Gear he was using, was a nine year old child in this reality. He would leave this universe and had no intention to return. There was no way they would find **anything** about him.

"Tsubaki, Megumi, Bennia... go," Sona ordered for her Queen and her two Knights to move. But it was already too late.

He vanished right in front of them. There had been no magic circle to see. It was a form of transportation spell they had never seen before.

The man left Sona Sitri´s peerage and the mentally broken Issei Hyoudou behind.

 **xxxxxxx**

Moments later he reappeared... somewhere at the other side of Japan.

He let his eyes and also his mental senses wander around, taking in the landscape, he was alone. Just like he had expected there was no other person around in miles.

Another mission. All too easy, he thought.

Just a few minutes later he could feel the telepathic call reaching him.

"Yes," he answered.

`As I see in your thoughts that you have finished the mission, ´the voice who had been calling him stated. `It was went as planned I presume?´

"Of course, this young Devils were no opponents for me. I even added a little bonus with this Issei Hyoudou you have mentioned," he replied. "It was actually somewhat boring," he commented.

In this world here Azazel, the leader of the Fallen Angels, had found evidence about the plot that Kokabiel had planned against him and had him arrested before he could actually start it.

This was secretly a great progress for Azazel´s plans to end the conflict between the three Factions. Since Kokabiel had been the greatest hindrance under the Grigori leaders for peace.

But **this** went against the interests of his masters. They wanted the conflict to continue for longer.

Now, with the sister of one of the Maou killed and the other two Factions automatically under suspicion, Azazel´s plans for peace won´t have a real chance to succeed for the visible future.

Beside that Rias Gremory was also supposed to marry another high ranked High Class Devil from the Phenex family in a few weeks from now on in an arranged political marriage. Of course this will now never come to pass. This little fact might cause additional unrest under the pureblood Devil families. It wouldn´t be much, but maybe worth considering.

He had purposely dropped hints that either one of the other Faction Leaders could be responsible for the hit... Or maybe some splinter group that only wanted to discriminate them.

But in truth it was none of all these. No, the true mastermind behind this attack was a force that these foolish creatures could not even imagine. And while for them the death of the sister of one of the devil-kings might be a great thing, for him it was not more than a low-grade mission. Barely more than a waste of his time.

`It seems Agent Crocel that you don´t think that your talents are properly challenged,´ the voice addressed him again. `I have another mission for you that you might find more interesting.´

It was the voice of a woman. He had actually never physically met her, but he of course knew her by reputation. She was one of the `Lords´, the heads of their organization... personally responsible for the destruction of entire worlds... and more.

"What kind of mission will that be?" he wanted to know.

`One that will bring you back to your home-universe. Your time of `outside missions´ is now over and we want you to take care of things in your world from now on," she told him.

Outside mission, this meant in his case someone who was given different tasks in different parallel universes that were not his own. Like he had done it for the last few years.

"I see, so this is a promotion," he mentioned.

`Yes, you are from now on personally responsible for our plans on your home-dimensions versions of Earth and their Heaven and Underworld.´

"I see," he replied. "But certainly you also have a specific task in mind with that I should begin."

`Indeed I have. Your first target is ironically the counterpart of the same person you have just been dealing with, Issei Hyoudou."

"And here I thought I finally had a challenge," he remarked.

`Don´t be so hasty. This version of Issei Hyoudou has a short time ago been recruited by the enemy.´

"So he is a member of the Guardians," he stated.

`Yes... and that is not everything. The one who is his partner at the moment, the one who is instructing him, is nobody else than the Angel who once fell for your sake.´

" **Her** ," he said.

`By our information it also seems that these two are beginning to recruit others and maybe build up a team around them.´

"You are right," he replied, "this **is** interesting."

He would very soon return to his world. This was what he had been waiting for, he thought. It wouldn´t take long and he would come to realize his own plans.

 **xxxxxxx  
**

 _A few miles from Kuoh, back in the `regular´ world_

Issei was in a pretty awkward situation. He tried to remember when he had ever met a girl named Irina.

"Issei, you know her?" Asia questioned.

If he was honest, she seemed somewhat familiar to him... very familiar actually on a closer look. But he couldn´t quite place it.

Still, if he had ever known a girl like that, he would certainly remember her, right? Especially one who was willing to throw her arm around him like this on sight.

"Irina, how do you know this person?" her fellow Exorcist asked as well. She too had lowered her hood and they saw that it was a young girl with short blueish hair and a bright yellow strand in it.

 **"Yes** Issei, who is this?" he heard Raynare asking him as well. "Don´t you want to introduce us?"

Her tone was sounding sweet, at the outside. She was using the same voice as in her alter-ego as Yuuma, the same one like on their date. But he could hear a certain kind of malice swinging with it.

Suddenly it hit him.

"Irina... you... you mean Irina Shidou?" he asked. "That... that is you?"

"Yes, of course it is me," she said. "Didn´t you recognize me? We have known each other since we were children after all."

"Yes, but you... you are a girl?" he stammered. "I didn´t... I never realized that you were a girl."

If he thought the situation had been awkward before, with this statement he had made it ten times worse. The dumbfounded expression everyone around was looking at him for a moment, could have been out of some comedy TV show.

Then, after a second as they fully registered what they had just heard, Raynare, Rias and even Gaeriel near instantly broke out into laughter. Akeno was a bit quieter, but still laughing. Kiba looked as if he could barely hold himself back. Even Asia was giggling a little.

"Issei that... that was just great. You actually believed she was a boy? I thought something like that doesn´t happen in real life," Raynare said, still chuckling, while she was still trying to get a hold on herself. " And I thought you of all people would know the difference between boys and girls."

"I see you are already back to **laughing** about me," Issei commented drily.

The Fallen Angel froze. She suddenly looked uncomfortable, even hurt... and somehow afraid.

He remembered he had not said that he had forgiven her... at least yet. But why should she even care that much about this?

"I... I am sorry Issei. I didn´t mean it like this," she exclaimed quickly.

It was clear that all what had happened over the day, especially the revelation about one of her leader´s betrayal from a few minutes ago, had really gotten to her.

He was looking at her for a few moments.

"Don´t worry. It is okay," he told her. "I admit it **was** funny." He smiled... he was actually smiling at her, he thought.

What was he thinking? She was his killer and now he was standing here, placating her, actually worrying about her feelings and even trying to calm her down.

Still it was as if the impact of what had happened had turned the cynical and arrogant Fallen Angel that he had got to know into an overly sensitive, fragile and very easy to hurt girl... well, at least temporary... and a part of him couldn´t help hating seeing her like this.

Another small part of him however, he admitted, was glad seeing her so vulnerable. She could surely not be able to hurt him when she was like that. Yet another part of him felt ashamed for even thinking in that way.

Anyway... not matter **how** he felt... he had literally seen her turn into a crying mess a few minutes ago and he knew the last thing they needed was her breaking down again right in the middle of the meeting.

He noticed that Raynare had indeed calmed down and was even returning his smile.

As he turned back around to the two Exorcists, he realized that Irina and her partner were staring at them. It somehow came to him what kind of display he and Raynare must have just made... and that right in front of them.

"Issei, why are you here with a group of Devils and Fallen Angels? What do you have to do with these people?" she asked him. "And what in the world has happened to you?" she yelled suddenly after taking a closer look at him.

Issei realized that he hadn´t thought about hiding his powers anymore after this surprise. Both of the Exorcists now easily noticed the large power he was radiating.

Damn it, Issei and Gaeriel though nearly at the same time. They had hoped that whoever the Church would send would not pay much attention to him next to the Devils and Fallen Angels with them. To them he would have been just another human who cooperated with the other Factions for one reason or the other.

How in the world were they supposed to know that his childhood friend of all people would be one of them? They must've have had the worst kind of bad luck here.

Well, maybe not completely. After all, Issei now looked clearly happy to see `her´ again, now that he knew who she was and even finally figured out her gender. Gaeriel admitted even she could barely hold herself back from laughing once again when she thought about it. She actually grinned a bit for a moment.

If she was honest, she had hoped to keep Issei´s involvement in all this a secret, at least for now.

The truth was, the Vatican and the heads of the Protestant and Orthodox Churches knew about the existence of the Guardians and had at least some ties with them. But she would have preferred if the fact that they were cooperating with the Grigori and especially the agreement she had made with Rias Gremory, would be kept quiet about. She wasn´t quite sure how the Church would react to these things.

"Issei, don´t tell me you have joined them?" Irina exclaimed.

So much for that, Gaeriel thought.

"Irina, why else would he be here with them?" her partner stated. "Your friend has obviously joined one of the other Factions and since they are enemies of God, we will have to consider him one too."

"You can not mean that Xenovia. Issei is my oldest friend. There has to be a reason for this," Irina insisted.

For a short moment Gaeriel was tempted to reveal who they really were. But that would make everything even more complicated right now. Especially with the Devils around.

"If we are enemies of the Church, why are we handing over one of the most wanted Stray Exorcists to you?" she commented instead.

"That doesn´t mean much. You will have your own reasons for it," the girl replied. "Oh, I am Xenovia Quarta by the way."

"My name is Gaeriel," she returned the introduction, "you already know of my partner Issei Hyoudou and this is Raynare."

"I am Rias Gremory, this is my Queen Akeno Himejima, my Knight Yuuto Kiba and my Rook Koneko Toujou," Rias stated on behalf of her own group.

"I see," the Exorcist named Xenovia replied.

"Issei - tell me, what is with you and that Fallen Angel?" Irina demanded.

He felt Raynare stepping forward from right behind him and laying one of her arms around his shoulder.

"What is with us? That is quite simply," she said, "I am his girlfriend."

The dumbfounded expression the two Exorcists had now was truly priceless. Issei himself was also not sure how he felt about this declaration.

"So that is the explanation," Irina called out. "This Fallen Angel has seduced you." She was now literally starring daggers at Raynare and both Issei and Gaeriel saw that her hand was uncomfortably close to her sword.

Just what they needed, a young girl starting a battle out of jealousy.

"No, it is truly not what you think," Issei told her.

But they all were suddenly interrupted.

It was Freed, who was still being guarded by Kiba and Akeno and had followed their entire exchange so far in slight amusement. Now he started to laugh loudly.

"Girlfriend. Ha, that´s just great. Do you know why your `friend´ suddenly has this kind of power? Why his Sacred Gear had been activated?" the shackled Stray Exorcist yelled. "His **girlfriend** here has killed him with her own hands just a few days ago. I don´t know **how** they have brought him back, but that pretty much, well..." he grinned.

Irina´s expression had now turned downright murderous and her hand was now truly on her weapon.

" **What**?" she said in a dangerous low tone.

"Oh, but that is not even all," Freed continued. "This girl there. Do you know who that is?" he yelled. "This is Asia Argento. Yes, the same Nun who was excommunicated because she had healed a Devil. And now she is here with **them**. What do you think, maybe you should better **kill** her now, before the Devils or Fallen Angels manage to corrupt her completely." he asked them grinning.

The gaze of the two Exorcists had now turned to Asia, who they had not actually paid attention to so far. But now that had instantly changed.

Issei and Gaeriel both clenched their teeth. Freed **had** recognized her. This was what they had feared. And Asia kneeling him in the balls earlier had certainly not helped his `motivation´ to keep his mouth shut.

The main reason why they had come up with the disguise and the false name in the first place was to keep her identity from the Devils. But now he had blurted it out, not only in front of them but also the two Exorcists.

This could be bad. Not that they didn´t trust themselves to defend Asia if these two really decided to attack her. But with blowing her secret right in front of Rias peerage **and** the Church Agents, their entire deception to fake her death would essentially become meaningless.

"You won´t actually listen to this lunatic, right Irina?" Issei asked her, moving himself between them and the disguised Ex-Nun. "This is my foster sister Maia. She isn´t this Asia Argento or whatever person.

And Raynare, she - she **wouldn´t** hurt me. She..." he said weakly. He really wished he sounded more convincing. But he just couldn´t bring the words out. He admitted he hated lying to her like this... and actually claiming that Raynare had never hurt him? It felt like throwing salt into an open wound.

But they couldn´t let this escalate right now.

Irina was still standing before him with her hand on her sword, struggling with herself.

"You have to admit, she has a certain resemblance to Asia Argento," Xenovia stated. "Except the hair and the glasses it could easily be her. And if someone like Asia Argento was threatening to join the other Factions, it would be better if we take her out."

Irina now turned back to her partner, looking a bit uncomfortable about the suggestion. But she didn´t say something against it either.

"Well, that **might** be," Raynare of all people spoke up, "but this girl here is not Asia Argento."

"Why should we believe you Fallen Angel?" Xenovia asked.

"Tell me, why is this Asia even a topic to beginn with? Because of her Sacred Gear, Twilight Healing, right?"

"Yes," Xenovia replied. "A power that can heal anyone, even Devils and Fallen Angels. That is why we should do anything to keep it out of their hands."

"It seems you are a bit too late then." Raynare smirked. "May I?" she reached out to the blade of Irina´s sword. "I just want to show you something."

She let her hand glide lightly over the sharp edge of the weapon, leaving a small but visible cut... and then instantly healed it, radiating a greenish light.

The two Exorcists looked shocked at the display.

"You should know that my former team had found Asia Argento some time ago," Raynare said. "As you surely know, no Sacred Gear user is capable of surviving the removal of their Gear. She can"t be Asia, because she is dead. I - we - killed her," she lied.

"You damned bitch," Freed growled at her at Raynare, "I don´t know how you have done this. But you can´t fool me like those idiots here."

"Oh shut up Selzen," she replied. "And by the way Freed, are you really in a position to call anyone a bitch?... I mean all chained up like you are," she said with a grin.

The Stray Exorcist was just glaring at her murderously. But he was not the only one.

"You, you killed her to get her Sacred Gear," Irina yelled, "and you Issei... you - you are with her, even if you know that she is a murderer? She even killed **you** if what that Stray Exorcist said is true. How **could** you?"

"Have you not just considered to kill this girl yourself a minute ago?" Gaeriel commented.

"That, that - that is something completely different," Irina replied.

"Of course, it always is," she remarked drily.

"But this is not the matter right now. You are here to bring this guy..." she pointed at Freed, "...in... and not to let him play us against each other. His obviously only trying to distract us all."

"As much as I hate to say it, but the Fallen Angel is right," Rias told them sternly. "We are here to hand over Freed Selzen to you. Here he is. If you are not interested and rather fight about other matters, then we can always take him back and you can explain this to your superiors."

"Okay okay," Xenovia said. "We have a transport vehicle at the other side of this forest, about one mile from here."

"I will come with you to assist you," Gaeriel stated, hoping for a chance to be alone with the two Agents of the Church. "You can return to the town then," she said to Issei and the others. "I will meet you later like we have agreed to," she added with a side-glance to Rias.

"It seems being an arrogant Devil actually has its advantages, right?" she said quietly to her.

"Just remember our agreement **Fallen Angel** ," she replied, visible annoyed by the comment.

Neither Irina or Xenovia resisted Gaeriel´s offer to accompany them. They knew all too well how dangerous Selzen was and that they could need the help.

As they were leaving together the others were about to return to the town. Both groups on their own.

"Raynare," Iseei whispered to her as they stepped closer together for the transport-circle, remembering how she had covered for Asia, "thank you." He said the words that he had never thought he would.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The abandoned church_

For the last day, not much had happened for the remaining Fallen Angels. Raynare had left for the headquarter last night, after she had told them that she had disposed of the Nun´s body. As their `new member´ Gaeriel had told them, she had died despite her efforts to improve the ritual to keep her alive.

Well, it was sad. It would have certainly been a good thing if they could have removed Sacred Gears with the users surviving. A few might have actually volunteered to get rid of them. Still it was nothing to shed tears over. They had gotten what they intended to after all.

Just a few hours later in the same night Gaeriel herself had left as well without saying much. As Kalawarner had asked her, she had just stated that she had gotten another mission and won´t return. Since she had not really been a member of their team in the first place, it was also no real loss.

Another one who had not returned was Freed Selzen. Someone else they would clearly not miss. He had just not come back from the search for Asia Argento. Maybe he had run into Issei Hyoudou and was actually defeated by him, as unlikely as it sounded that a boy who had just activated his Sacred Gear would beat an experienced Exorcist. But going by Kalawarner´s state after her fight with him, he wasn´t exactly a weakling anymore. Or maybe Selzen had picked a fight with the Devils and was killed by them. As they knew him that was also good possible.

A number of the other Stray Exorcists had left as well this morning. They had only been here for the single purpose to assist and guard the ritual and were now going back to other tasks.

The ones who remained in the church were Dohnaseek, Kalawarner, Mittelt and the rest that was left of their hired group of Stray Exorcists.

The Devils had been quiet and they had not actually seen much of them.

For the greatest part of the day, not much had happened... until about half an hour ago. Two messages had arrived only a short time apart.

The first was a official announcement from the headquarter. It was telling them that Raynare had been assigned to a special mission on direct orders of Lord Azazel himself... and that Dohnaseek was promoted to team-leader.

Well, good for **both** of them, he thought. It seemed that Raynare had finally succeeded with her wish to raise Azazel´s attention.

Furthermore it only said that their team should stand back and wait for further orders. So it was just sitting around and doing nothing. None of them particular like that.

This was until the second message arrived. This one was a direct order from Lord Kokabiel.

A smile formed on Dohnaseek´s face while he was reading it. Finally some action.

"Kalawarner, Mittelt," he called out. "Come, we have something to do."

xxxxxxx

 _Kuoh Academy, the same evening_

Rias and her peerage had returned less than a hour ago. Like she had already expected, Grayfia contacted her again only a short time later. And also the reason for her call was no surprise, given what Sona had told her.

She had to admit, she was happier than ever before that she had accepted the deal that the Fallen Angel with Issei had offered her.

A short time later Grayfia appeared in person. But as she told them, she would not be the only one. Raiser Phenex as it turned out, has for some reason started to press for the engagement between them.

She had instantly send a message to her new... well, she guessed she should call them allies. It was not that she truly trusted that Fallen Angel Issei was working with. But this might be her best and quite possible only chance if things continued like this.

 _"Tell me everything about this Raiser that you can," Gaeriel had asked her. "Only facts, don´t say something only because you don´t like him. The better my picture of the man is, the better for you."_

That was what she had told her. Now the time had come and Rias could only hope that everything would work out.

She and her peerage members were now sitting together in their club-room, waiting. Only Grayfia was still standing, acting her part as a maid of the Gremory House.

"Grayfia," Rias addressed her, "there is one last thing. Two more `friends´ of us will arrive her soon. I wanted them to be present for this meeting."

"Two friends Rias-sama?" she questioned.

"This meeting should have actually only been the business of you, Raiser-sama and your servants and houses."

"I know, but it is important for me to have them here. Grayfia, I have one request."

"Yes?" the maid asked.

"Whatever you hear when they are talking with Raiser, **don´t** say anything and even more, don´t attack them."

"Why should I attack your friends Rias-sama?"

"They... they are not members of our Faction," she told her vaguely. "Nor are they regular humans."

"Rias what are you planning?" Grayfia asked now. Concern was to hear in her voice.

"Just promise me," she repeated.

"Okay, if that is your wish," she stated, still not sounding exactly happy.

"Thank you."

A minute later another magic-circle showed up on the ground before them, this one in the style of the House of Phenex and a blonde haired young man appeared.

"Rias my love, how wonderful to see you again," Raiser greeted her, his voice sounding more than smug.

* * *

 **As you have seen, the first half of this chapter played completely in a parallel universe, therefore also the chapter title. It is not in every story that you can just an entire bunch of important canon characters get slaughtered and then continue as if nothing had happened, right?  
**

 **This was in first line for two things, first to further build up the idea of the multiverse. It makes clear that are not only other realities, there are also other versions of the DxD universe. The second is to bring a first glimpse of the Guardian´s enemies and to introduce a new antagonist who will play a great role in the following arcs.  
**

 **The name Crocel is based on one of the demons of the Ars Goetia gremoires. Like the 72 Pillars of the Devil there will be a connection. Similar to for example Rias Gremory however, he will not be the original Crocel but a descendant.**

 **xxcc**

 **A side comment to the small exchange of hypocrisy between Irina, Raynare and Gaeriel. Far too many characters in the DxD universe seem to life by the motto: `If I or my comrades do something it is justified, but if someone else does, it is an unforgivable crime.´**


	8. Chapter 8: Secrets and Truths

**Chapter 8  
**

 _Kuoh Academy_

 _"Rias my love, how wonderful to see you again," Raiser greeted her._

Raiser Phenex was looking like a young man in his early twenties. Being a Devil it was of course hard to say how old he truly is.

The way he had greeted Rias seemed friendly... at the first look. But something about his tone seemed off. It was something about the exaggerated manner in which he spoke.

As if he was saying it more for the purpose of being heard by others than actually meaning it.

"Raiser," she returned his greeting formally and in one on her part quite **obviously** uncaring tone. "What do you want?" she asked the rhetorical question. Grayfia had already informed her about Raiser´s reasons for his visit.

"My dear, shouldn´t that be obvious. I wanted to see you," he replied.

"Oh really? I have heard something a bit different," she countered. "Aren´t you here because you try to fasten up this engagement that **our families** have decided for us?" She placed the pronunciation on the part `our families´, pointing out that it was not **her** decision.

"Now my dear," he said, "If we are to marry, why not do it as quick as possible?"

He sat down right next to her on the couch... **very** close, more than it would be considered socially proper in most situation, especially here since she clearly didn´t want him to do it... and layed his arms around her. Rias was just sitting there motionless, visibly stiffer than before. But Raiser didn´t seem to notice that... or he did not care and let his hands wander over her body.

A more than just annoyed expression showed on her face at his behavior.

"Raiser, I have told you this before and I am saying it again. I am **not** marrying you. I don´t like you. In fact, I despise you," she told him.

"Well, in this case I should remind you that it is not truly your choice. Our families have made an official agreement and as the only daughter of Gremory you will have to follow it," he declared grimly.

Part of his friendly facade was slipping now. But only for a short moment. He put it back into place very quickly and smiled at her again.

Of course nobody in the room fell for it.

Rias was about to reply something else, but before she could say anything. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in. We have been waiting for you," she said loudly.

Raiser looked up in surprise. But the others, Rias servants and even Grayfia of course already knew that she was waiting for someone.

 **xxx**

"You know you don´t need to do this," Gaeriel had said to him a few minutes ago.

"Your agreement was you stay with us for one mission and then you are given a choice to stay or leave... and that mission has been fulfilled," she reminded him. "Both of our direct targets are with us, we have made a positive contact with the Grigori and even more important, we have discovered information about the organization we are hunting for. If you want to, you could just leave now."

"I know this. But the truth is. I **don´t** want to leave. You should understand... I am not even sure how to say it." He sighed. "Here I have the chance to be something more than just a perverted outsider. And it also allows me to protect people... people like Asia.

 ** _xxx_**

 _He remembered how he, Asia and Raynare had arrived back at his home after the meeting with Irina and her partner. To say that his parents were a little surprised that there was another girl with him beside his new foster sister `Maia´ would be an understatement._

 _Of course Raynare, who had taken her human form, introduced herself as Yuuma Amano and once again as his girlfriend... and once again he just stood by, not even able to say anything. Issei knew he had to speak a few words with her soon._

 _His parents of course were looking at them slack-jawed, before congratulating him enthusiastically after their few moments of shock about her declaration. Why? he asked himself... Why had he not said anything to contradict Raynare?_

 _Right afterwards however his parents had another surprise as they told him that Murayama of all people had been there and asked for him._

 _A few days ago, his reaction to this would have been to jump into the conclusion that the captain of the Kendo Club could actually be interested in him. That she maybe actually **liked** it when he was watching her in the locker rooms... and that he could maybe get the chance to get his hands on her breasts._

 _And he would have spent the rest of the day dreaming about her `oppai´ and the chance to get her into bed._

 _Now he was thinking about all that a bit different. Of course he was still interested in **all** of that. But the reason that she was here was most likely that she had noticed that something was off about him. Maybe she had even seen something strange what he was doing. He fully intended to talk with her a well as soon as he would have the chance... and that **without** trying to hit on her._

 _If she showed too much interest in him as things were now, she could bring herself into danger and he didn´t want that. So he would do something about it. The times when he had let events just roll over him and people get the better of him were over._

 _As Gaeriel had said it, `Start using your brain... or others will use **you** instead.´_

 ** _xxx_**

"Besides that, I would miss you if you were no longer around," Issei continued. "You are one of my few actual friends beside Matsuda and Motohama... and I have now the chance to spend time with Irina again. Since she is now an Exorcist, this would be difficult otherwise... and..." he hesitated, not even quite sure what he had wanted to say.

"Ah, does that mean you will be **less** perverted in the future?" she asked him with a sly grin.

"Don´t count on it," he replied in a very similar tone.

"So part of why you want to stay around me is that you still want to get under the sheets with me?" she remarked lasciviously. She was definitely spending too much time with him, she thought. "As I have said, if you want to have sex with me, we can talk about it. Or maybe, as things are now, maybe we should first ask your `girlfriend´."

Issei froze.

"I see... you would miss **Raynare** as well, right?" she commented with just a small bit of sarcasm.

"What? Why are you saying something like that?" he said grimly.

"Issei, I don´t need any psychic powers to see how conflicted you are when it comes to her. Not that I would still be able to read your thoughts if you didn´t want it. You have already grown too strong for that."

Issei stayed silent for a few moments.

"To be honest," he finally said, "I am not quite sure what to make of her. She had turned on me and killed me... she had betrayed me... and now she is already back to telling everyone that she is my girlfriend. What the hell I am supposed to think?"

"Have you considered that her actions might be so contradictory because she could be in a similar situation when it comes to you?" she asked.

"Maybe," he admitted. "But I find it just as likely that she just wants to get back into good terms with me. **Now** that she knows that I carry the Boosted Gear," he stated, "... and hopes to wrap me around her finger again," he said bitterly.

"That might be part of it," she responded. "But believe me, she had already been acting strange when it comes to you long before she found out about Ddraig. As soon as she found out that you are alive again, she started to get... well... emotional whenever you were brought up."

"That doesn´t mean that I have to trust her or forgive her," he said firmly.

"No. But I am getting an impression that you actually want to trust and forgive her. By what I have heard she has still been calling herself your girlfriend twice now and you have said nothing to contradict her."

Issei frowned.

"I... the truth is both times I didn´t get a word out. Whenever I look at her, or when she is talking to me, I can't hate her, not really. But then I always have to think about what she did to me and I am getting so angry that I just want to punch her in the face."

"Maybe you should do that. The both you might feel better afterwards," she retorted.

"That is not funny," he told her.

"No it isn´t," she replied. "What Raynare did had caused a psychotic trauma for you. I would be surprised if it hadn´t. You should talk to someone about your fears - like you are doing right now," she told him, "... and sooner or later you will need to confront your fears. That makes it a good thing that the source of them is right with us, right?" she asked him.

Issei said nothing.

"I cannot tell you if you should forgive her or not. Or what kind of a relationship you want to have with her. Or that Exorcist girl for that matter. Or to Asia," she pointed out. "But what I can tell you is this, if you want to get over your problems, you will have to talk to her sooner or later... and I really mean it. And even if it is only to tell her to go and fuck herself. But if you just ignore her presence, you are only dragging the problem out."

They were now standing in front of the door of the club-room.

 _"Come in. We have been waiting for you,"_ they heard Rias voice after knocking on the door.

They opened and stepped inside.

 **xxx**

They saw that beside Rias and her peerage were two people were present. The silver-haired woman in the maid outfit only gave them a short look. The blonde young man who was standing in the center of the room however seemed very surprised to see them... and not happy at all.

"Hello Rias," Gaeriel greeted her casually, in a familiar tone. "You wanted to talk with us?"

"What in the world is this Fallen Angel and that human doing here?" he exclaimed loudly, "How do they dare to just walk into our meeting as if they have any right to be here?" he asked. "Why have your servants not attacked them as soon as they entered the building?" he ranted, "... and how can they even have the insolence to greet a High-Class Devil so casually like this?" he hissed.

Issei couldn´t help himself, but he already hated this guy. Despite knowing him only for a few seconds. But his short rant was already more than enough. If he ever met someone who had the word snob written on his face, it had to be him. If he was a typical example of a Devil, he was more than happy that he had not joined them.

To that came the way he spoke to Gaeriel, who was after all his trainer and had quickly become a good friend.

"Rias, throw these two cretins out," Raiser told her. "And you Fallen Angel filth should be thankful that I have more important things to do than to kill you," he said dismissively in Gaeriel´s and Issei´s direction. "Be thankful for it."

"These `cretins´ - Raiser - are two of my associates and they are **invited** guests," Rias replied. It annoyed her to no end that Raiser dared to give her orders in her own home. "In opposite to certain people who just show up here unasked and uninvited and **then** make demands," she added with a clear hint to Raiser himself.

"Issei, Gaeriel, welcome... we have been expecting you," she said to them.

Her fiancé glared at her for a short moment.

"Your choice of `associates´," he said the words with distaste, "is very questionable my dear. I will have to correct that after we have been married," he stated. As if the marriage would give him the right to dictate who she can see and can't.

Rias anger at him was not truly taking overhand.

"You think you can just command me around?" she yelled.

But once again they were interrupted.

"Oh, a Devil is throwing insults at me," Gaeriel commented theatrically and in a more than mocking tone. "I am **so** hurt. I should probably reply with something nasty now. But I think the word **Devil** alone is already insult enough."

Even Grayfia visibly flinched a little at what Rias guest had just said. But she remembered that she had been told not to do anything... no matter what she heard. The rest of the peerage also looked not exactly happy about the comment, but nobody said anything.

So this was obviously some part of a plan that Rias was in on. Grayfia could only hope that she knew what she was doing.

Raiser on the other hand was exploding now.

"You dare to talk to me like this," he literally screamed. "I am Raiser Phenex, third son of the House of Phenex. A low level Fallen Angel trash like you don´t even deserve to speak to me."

"That you are a high-classed scum doesn´t exactly makes it any better, **Devil** ," she responded.

The members of the Occult Research Club were all listening to the exchange with a bad mood. They heard how her ally was insulting their whole race. But they knew it was all part of the plan.

"That is enough," Raiser shouted. "No matter what my foolish betrothed says, I will kill you here and now. Nobody insults a son of the House Phenex like that and gets away with it."

Issei however stepped in front of Gaeriel and between her and Raiser.

"If you want to attack her, you have to go through **me** first," he said, playing his role.

"You talk like that would be a difficult thing... **human** ," he replied with contempt.

"Raiser, he is not a regular human. Issei is the Red Dragon Emperor," Rias spoke up.

"Is he? And probably an inexperienced and weak one, by the way he looks. Well, maybe then he can provide me with a few minutes of entertainment," he stated haughtily.

"If you want a fight, I am all in for it," Issei told him confidently.

"Stop this right now," Rias interfered this time. "If you really want to fight each other, I won´t stand in your way. But this is neither the time or the place. As you said yourself Raiser, we are in an official meeting. Even if it is one that I had never actually agreed to."

Raiser calmed down... a little bit at least.

"You are right," he agreed reluctantly. "This is not the place for something like that."

"Name one and I will be there," Issei replied.

"I agree, but only under one condition," Raiser said with a grin. "When I win, this Fallen Angel here will become my servant." He pointed at Gaeriel. "She really needs a few lessons to respect her better... and I will be glad to provide them."

"You would make a girl part of a bet?" Issei asked angrily. Okay, he was a pervert and admitted it. But this...?

"Why not? Or are you afraid to loose... vermin?" Raiser responded.

"We will accept," Gaeriel answered in his place. " **If** you win I belong to you and you can teach me all lessons you want. But we shouldn´t be the only ones who risk something, right? Or is it that **your** afraid?" she asked him.

"Raiser fears nothing," he stated proudly. "Tell me your conditions and I will accept them."

Rias on the other side wanted to cry out in joy. This was working better than she had ever hoped for.

"Well, to be honest, I don´t like the way you treat women," Issei told him. "So if I win, you will give up on that marriage, that is clearly not wanted on the other part."

"But that..." he wanted to say something. "The marriage is an agreement between the Houses of Phenex and Gremory," he pointed out.

"I see. It seems he really is afraid," Gaeriel commented mockingly.

"Enough. I agree to your terms," Raiser called out. Once again he let his pride and his anger overcome him.

"You mean you accept this as an official challenge to a duel Raiser?" Rias asked him.

"Yes," he answered.

"You have heard it Grayfia," she said. "You should inform my brother and my parents about this when you return to the Underworld."

"You really want to risk your engagement over this challenge Raiser-sama?" the maid asked him. "Remember, if you accept now as a son of the House of Phenex, it will be binding."

"I will," he replied.

At some level he realized that he might have just done something stupid or at least reckless. Any challenge from an outsider would and could normally have no effect on the marriage agreement, since it was made between the two Houses... unless he accepted the challenge in the name of his House. In this case honor demanded to follow the conditions.

But his pride didn´t allow him to back out now.

"I understand," Grayfia replied. "Since Rias-sama is obviously not willing to accept the engagement, I was about to offer you the possibility to resolve this conflict through a rating game. But in this case..."

"We will do that as well," Rias exclaimed.

"Why would you still want to hold a Rating Game?" Grayfia asked surprised.

"It looks like even Rias has no trust in her `friend´," Raiser commented.

"I trust him," she responded. "But I am actually glad about this chance to stand up for myself."

"You talk as if you have actually a chance. You have what, three people in your peerage? I have a full set." He made a gesture and another, larger magic circle appeared on the ground before them...

... and a second later 15 new persons were standing in the room. All of them were young and quite attractive looking women.

"Is this a peerage or a harem?" Issei could not hold himself back from calling out.

"I admit it has a bit of both of them," Raiser downright told them with a smirk on his face. "I have truly some of the most beautiful here, haven´t I? But that doesn´t mean that my ladies aren´t powerful fighters as well. Well, someone like Raiser has of course more success with the women than a nobody like you can ever hope for?"

"Is that why you have to turn them all into your servants to get them?" Issei remarked.

This statement caused Raiser to once again grimace in anger.

"I will show you how much these girls cherish me... Yubelluna," he commanded the blue haired woman in front of his peerage, "come here."

She followed his order and he draw her into a kiss, right in front of all of them. Issei saw in a mixture of fascination and outrage how he and the woman, who was obviously his Queen, actually started to make out, while they all - including Rias - were watching.

Even Issei, as perverted as he was, could tell that Raiser was just using the woman to rile them all up. Would he ever have sunk as low to use a girl like that? a part of him asked himself.

"That is truly enough Raiser," Rias stated, outwardly cool, but with noticeable anger. "You have accepted the challenges for both the duel and the Rating Game. With that I think it is about time for you to go. All what is left is to set a date, right Grayfia?"

"Yes," the maid answered. "Raiser-sama, since your peerage outnumbers Rias-sama´s by far, I propose to hold the Rating Game in two weeks from now on to give her time to prepare... and the duel to follow right afterwards. If your challenger agrees to this terms of course." She looked at Issei.

"I do agree," he said.

She nodded.

"Good... and your name young man?" she wanted to know.

"Issei Hyoudou, the current Red Dragon Emperor," he introduced himself.

"I am sure this name will soon be known to many people," Grayfia stated politely.

"Yes, because everyone will see how I crush him under my boot," Raiser remarked.

But Grayfia just ignored his comment.

"Then we will meet again in two weeks. If you win both Raiser-sama, the preparations for the wedding can start right afterwards."

Rias looked up at the last part of her statement, but stayed silent.

"Now, I hope you will not make it **too** easy for me **Red Dragon Emperor** ," Raiser said once again confidently. "I am looking out for some fun. And you Fallen Angel." He turned to Gaeriel. "My peerage may be full, but for **you** I will especially acquire a new piece. Like I said, you are certainly in need for a few lessons in respect... and I am **all** too willing to give them to you." A grin appeared on his face for a split second. But Issei had seen it and it made him only angrier.

"So let us go home girls," Raiser addressed the members of his peerage. He joined them and together they vanished inside a new transport circle.

As soon as they were gone, the Gremory heiress showed a reaction nobody would have known or expected from her.

"Yes, yes," she called out loud and actually threw a fist into the air.

Grayfia only raised an eyebrow at this.

"Geez, what an asshole," Issei commented. "I can actually understand that you don´t want to marry that guy," he said to Rias.

"It is good that you understand my situation," Rias replied.

"Yes, he is even worse than you."

"What?" Rias looked at him angrily.

"A few days ago you were willing to let me get murdered, so that you can force me into your peerage. So don´t expect too much sympathy from me," he reminded her.

Grayfia heard this statement as well... and she intended to ask the young lady in greater detail about this later.

Rias frowned. She knew he had a point. She felt the urge to say something else to defend her position, but held herself back. After all he had already agreed to fight for her. Even if she wished he would do it out of actual loyalty to her and not just as part of a deal. But given all what happened that might be too much to ask for.

Still, Issei was her possible card for freedom and all what she had needed to do for that, was to promise to guard Freed Selzen. Something that she would have gladly done anyway, just to get this guy out of her town.

"It had worked better than I had ever hoped for," she only commented.

"Raiser reacted in exactly the way we have expected. I know his type. Just challenge their ego and they will accept any conditions you tell them, only to protect their sense of superiority," Gaeriel responded.

"Was this Rating Game really necessary?" Issei questioned. "Especially since Rias group is far outnumbered anyway."

"It was better to convince Raiser to give us the two week break," Rias stated. "Had it been only you, he might have insisted to fight here and now."

"Exactly," Gaeriel agreed, "and you are still learning to fully control your powers"

"And what about betting yourself as a slave?" Rias asked her. "That wasn´t exactly part of the plan wasn´t it?"

"It was a move born out of the moment to make sure he agrees. Don´t worry, with the speed how Issei improves, in two weeks the only way for this Raiser to win would be if Issei were asleep during the fight."

"Let's hope for it. But like I said, I am also glad about this chance to fight for myself. Besides that, I am not sure I share your complete faith in Issei´s abilities. So I don´t want to rely just on him alone."

"But didn´t you just say that you trust him? A Devil who lies, who would have thought? You realize that Raiser will spank your ass in the contest, right?" she said grinning to Rias, "and he won´t even need to wait for your wedding night for it."

"You... you," Rias growled. Her face had turned nearly as red as her hair. Somehow this Fallen Angel just had to use every chance to insult and annoy her.

"Enough of this." Grayfia stepped up. "I have tolerated your insults and provocations since they were obviously part of this plan you had. But this is now no longer the case...

... And besides that, you are hardly in a position to accuse anyone of telling lies, Lady - whoever you are - If I remember right, you have done nothing else since you have stepped into this room," the maid declared resolutely.

Gaeriel knew she had her here. Everything from the moment she came into this room had been nothing but a single planned out deception. Bringing up the habit of the Devils to say whatever was convenient for them in any situation would only make her look like a hypocrite.

Besides that, she knew who Grayfia was. Despite looking harmless, she was the Queen of Rias Gremory´s brother Sirzechs and one of the strongest Devils of the Underworld. Picking a fight with her wasn´t a good idea unless you were a Fallen Angel leader or Maou.

It seems she let her personal dislike of the Devils affect her judgement here. This entire discussion was completely needless anyway. They already got what they wanted.

"You are right. I was out of line. I am sorry," she said - once again not truly meaning it, but nobody seemed to notice.

Rias also appeared to have overcome her anger.

"It is okay," she replied. "By the way, have you thought about my offer about the building that I have shown to you?" she wanted to know.

"We have indeed," Gaeriel responded.

"We will take it," Issei said.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The next day  
_

 _Issei´s p.o.v_

Issei and his group were now sitting together in the recently magically restored living room of their new `base´. That was an abandoned villa at the outskirts of the town.

He and Gaeriel had come to the decision that, aside from his home, they needed an actual base here in the area of Kuoh.

Until a few days ago this building had been occupied by a Stray Devil who had been on the loose in this town. That was at least what the Devils from Rias Gremory´s peerage had told them. They had found and attacked the Stray a few days ago, what caused it to flee and abandon its hideout.

Rias had told them about this as Gaeriel had mentioned their need for a base that was close to the city. Of course it might be that the Devil simply had the motive to keep them at a place that she knows of, where they would be inside her reach and she could have an eye on them.

But this place here was, as they took a look on it, too well located and fitting for their purposes to refuse it.

Gaeriel had also started to train with Raynare. According to her she was strong for a two winged Fallen Angel. That was obvious since was made group-leader. What was lacking were experience in actual combat, not that surprising with the war being in ceasefire for centuries... and innovative training methods. Both of this they could easily provide.

Issei wasn´t quite sure how he felt about the very idea of Raynare getting stronger than she already was. He was not even sure how he felt about her being **here**. Why? Why of all people, Gaeriel had to recruit her? he asked himself.

He knew of course what she had told him. That she was useful. That she knew Kokabiel. That she knew the Grigori and was, thanks to the circumstances, the ideal connection to them. That she was a skilled, but inexperienced and undertrained fighter. At least by their standards.

And there were of course the other, less practical reasons. She has it in her to be a better person. The Guardians had already turned people around who were far more gone than she was. That she **was** already changing. He had heard it all from her.

But that wasn´t what was on his mind right now. What was going through his head the entire time was simple the fact that his girlfriend/ex-girlfriend, he wasn´t even sure what to call her... who had betrayed and killed him, was their new recruit.

He knew one thing, Gaeriel was right, he needed to talk to Raynare... about what she had said yesterday, beside various other things.

This was however not everything that happened yesterday. To everyone´s surprise they had two more additions.

Irina and Xenovia had joined them as well.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Irina´s p.o.v_

Irina Shidou was thinking back about the strange events of the last day. At first she and Xenovia had been send here to take over Freed Selzen from the Devils and a mysterious second group. But then things were beginning to happen that she would never have expected.

The first was that Issei-kun of all people was with that other group, who she had not seen in years. But what was far worse, at least in her view, was that this group consisted of Fallen Angels - **female** Fallen Angels - very attractive female Fallen Angels who were leading him away from the right path.

At least that was what she had thought at first. Then came the third complete surprise last night.

 ** _xxx_**

 _With the assistance of one of the two Fallen, they had transported Freed Selzen away. A few hours after they had received him, they handed him over to a small army of Exorcists and church-soldiers._

 _As soon as they were alone however the Fallen Angel had told them her secret. She and Issei were in truth not members of the Grigori at all, but of a group that was in fact old allies of the Church._

 _At first it was a bit hard to believe, but the Fallen Angel named Gaeriel had more than enough information to identify herself without a doubt as they contacted their superiors._

 _And then the next shock followed right away. As the Church officials had confirmed that it was truly the organization commonly known as the Guardians they were dealing with, she and Xenovia had gotten their next assignment._

 _They were ordered to join Issei´s group and do everything to assist them._

 ** _xxx_**

Not that she wasn´t happy to be in one team with him.

But still, the thought that an organization that was allied with the Church would have Fallen Angels in their ranks. Especially **Her** , she said to herself... the one who had called herself his girlfriend.

By what she had been told, one of them had even seduced and then murdered Issei-kun, only for **them** to bring him back to life... and now she was right back to seducing him again... and by what she saw, he was **letting** it happen. Of course it was Freed Selzen who said this and there was no way she could just believe a word from a man like him.

But that was the problem.

There was also the latest and final surprise of last night. The girl that Issei had called Maia and introduced as his `foster sister´, she was **actually** the former Nun Asia Argento. This Fallen Angel Gaeriel had told them this completely freely, after she had been informed that they would be working together from now on. This and that Argento was now a member of their group.

Issei had lied into her face, Irina realized... and that to protect an excommunicated Nun of all people. Of course he had a reason. They were simply trying to keep her identity from the Devils that were present. But it still hurt.

Did that mean his Fallen Angel girlfriend had actually tried to protect her when she had claimed to have killed Asia? she asked herself. Maybe she wasn´t **that** bad then, for a Fallen Angel at least... maybe.

But that also meant that half of the story that Freed Selzen had told them was actually true. What about the other half? Had this Raynare actually killed him?

Issei had denied it, said that it had never happened. But the way he had said this... it sounded more as if he just wanted to defend his `girlfriend´, as that he truly meant it.

Girlfriend... the word alone had somehow started to feel like acid to her.

No matter what some people might think, Irina Shido was not stupid. Naive, yes. A bit gullible, sometimes maybe, yes. Stubborn and single minded, yes. But not stupid.

She knew she needed to find out the truth. She knew she needed to talk to Issei-kun once again - and this time he would tell her the truth... the **whole** truth.

And then... what if he told her that he loved the Fallen Angel?

No, she would not simply sit down and accept this... and if she - and **if she** had to seduce Issei-kun by herself, she thought.

 **xxx**

 _Asia´s p.o.v_

What Irina didn´t know was that she wasn´t the only one who had similar thoughts on her mind. Asia, who was in the moment sitting only a few meters beside her, was thinking about the events as well.

She was also present as her now former master and new team-mate had referred to herself as Issei´s girlfriend... and both times he said nothing to contradict her. Did that mean he accepted it?

She couldn´t help herself but feel a sting whenever she remembered Raynare-sama calling herself that and Issei saying nothing.

Asia of course didn´t know that her thoughts couldn´t be further from the truth. The reason that Issei had not said anything about Raynare´s claims was not acceptance.

No, it was him struggling with his conflicting emotions towards her, the trauma that his death by her hands had caused... and also simple surprise about what she had said. But he hadn´t downright rejected her either.

 **xxxxxxx**

Their combined group was just going through the events of the last days and recapitulating them for Irina and Xenovia. The two Exorcists were sitting on a couch at one side of the room, Raynare and Asia were sitting on the other.

Gaeriel and Issei had just ended their explanation how she had recruited Issei... after her master resurrected him. So that part of the story was really true, Irina thought.

Her eyes wandered to Raynare. The look the Fallen Angel showed as they recapitulated this part of the events seemed to be somehow troubled... and pained. Did that mean that she regretted her actions? That was actually the least thing that could be expected, Irina told herself.

But still, what kind of group was that, that was allied with the Church, but let Fallen Angels and excommunicated Nuns join their ranks? she questioned.

They just came to the point where Gaeriel had copied - instead of extracted, like she had claimed - the Twilight Healing from Asia.

Raynare´s look as she heard this detail for the first time was truly priceless.

" **What?** " she called out.

Even Irina could not suppress a small grin at the expression of the Fallen Angel as she found out how far she had been deceived.

Raynare send a glance to Asia. Who in return however only smiled at her innocently.

"You," she wanted to growl at Gaeriel. But what she brought out was not far more than a whisper.

She took another short look at Asia.

"Okay - you are right," she finally said. "It is truly better this way," she admitted quietly.

Both Issei and Irina noticed this... and in Issei´s case also how different Raynare sounded from her usual sarcastic and confident/arrogant self.

They all continued to listen as Gaeriel explained the rest of the events that had led them all here. The part she was saying in this moment caught everyone´s attention.

"As I have said," she stated, "my organization doesn´t like or trust the Devil Faction. Their habit to take over entire towns in the human world and claim them as `their territory´ had marked these places as targets to their enemies.

To that comes that they are turning humans and other races into Devil servants. All too often without ever actually asking them or giving them a choice, practically enslaving them. Some of these servants then rebel and become Stray Devils... and the Devils hunt them down and kill them - all too often here on Earth.

As you can probably imagine, all that makes our duty to protect this world only more difficult. So the Guardian´s standing towards the Devils is not exactly a friendly one.

To put it simply, we didn´t want a successful alliance between the Houses of Phenex and Gremory, that would only strengthen the Devils and they would probably cause even more trouble for us - and we especially didn´t want a Devil of Raiser´s known attitude to gain even more influence than he already has. But since none of us is a member of the Devil Faction, we couldn´t interfere in their internal politics... At least not without revealing much more of our organization to them as we were willing to.

But Rias Gremory had provided us with a way to get a foothold into Devil society. I had offered a deal, that she and her servants would hold Freed Selzen for us and in exchange we would assist her in her problem with Raiser... if she invited us to their meeting, to get us into a position where we could challenge him in the first place."

"Do I get this right?" Xenovia asked her. "You got this Devil and her peerage to guard one of the most dangerous Stray Exorcists for you... and in exchange you offered her something that you were planning to do anyway? On top of that you used her as an entrance card into Devil society?

And all that right after you deceived the Fallen Angel leaders into thinking Asia Argento had lost her Sacred Gear and convinced everyone else that she was dead?"

"If you put it in that way - yes," Gaeriel answered, now sounding a bit insecure.

Raynare´s comment said it in the best was what most of the people around were thinking.

"God, and people say **I** am a lying bitch. But you make me look like a poor amateur," she remarked.

Issei could not even deny it. There was truth about what Raynare had just said. For the first time, he felt how small doubts were rising up inside of him about his friend and trainer.

Gaeriel was doing everything for everyone´s best, he knew that - for the greater good, if you put it that way. But could he really trust someone who manipulated people that easily and often?

 _`That she has an impressive pair of breasts doesn´t automatically make a girl trustworthy.´_ That were her own words.

Rias and her peerage, Raiser, Raynare and her team, Irina and Xenovia, his parents, she had lied to practically every one of them at one point or the other during the last days. He and Asia were the only exceptions.

Really? Was he sure about that? he asked himself. Could there maybe be things she kept from him as well?

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The evening of the same day, a few hours later  
_

After the two important meetings from the day before, Rias peerage had now returned to daily business that they had failed to complete so far.

In this case it was the hunt for a Stray Devil that they had been requested to eliminate, but who had survived their first encounter a few days ago. The same one who had been hiding in the building that they had now left to Issei´s team.

The Devil Viser had killed her former master, fled the Underworld and had since then been attacking, killing and even eating a large number of humans. The building had been her hideout, where she had brought and devoured her victims, until Rias peerage had driven her out a few days ago.

Right now she was running through the park of the city. Ironically not so far away from the place where Issei Hyoudou had died a few days before. In the moment she was once again in the form of a young woman, instead of the monstrous being that she had become.

She knew the resident Devils had found her. They had been hunting her for days. Viser was clad in a long raincoat that she had taken from the last human she had killed, shortly after their fight with her that she had barely escaped from.

She knew she had to get out of the city and as far away as she could... and that as quickly as possible. The last time she knew she had barely gotten away with her life. Damned Devils, all she wanted was her peace and a few humans to feast on. Was that too much asked for?

For a few short seconds, she actually allowed herself to believe that she had lost them. Moments later she was shown the opposite when she was hit by a burst of lightning.

The Stray Devil was screaming in pain and could barely keep herself on her feet as the assault was over. **They** did that, she knew. It was one of the servants of this Gremory bitch who had that kind of power.

Moments later they showed themselves. Akeno came gliding down from the roof of a neighboring building with her wings and Koneko appeared from between the group of trees in front of her.

It was only two of them, Viser realized. That meant she had a good chance.

"It seems we have finally found you again," Akeno addressed the Stray Devil. "It wasn´t exactly smart of you to take this short cut, was it? You should have known that we could attack you here without holding back. This time you won´t escape." She smiled at her.

This only caused Viser to attack them in an even greater rage. Her stolen coat was torn to shreds as she once again took her other monstrous form.

The magic that their fight unleashed could of course be detected by other supernatural beings. Much to their bad luck.

 **xxx**

Rias and the others instantly knew their exact location. But they were not the only ones.

 **xxx**

The fight had so far taken only a few minutes. But both Rias peerage members and the Stray Devil were already showing visible damage. Nothing too serious, in first sight just scrapes and bruises.

They all noticed someone else appearing through a magic circle close by. For the first moment Akeno and Koneko weren´t worried. That this was just the rest of their team who arrived.

Until they noticed that the presences weren´t Devils at all. No, they were...

Before any of them could think anything else, they were hit by nearly a dozen light-spears.

The equally surprised Stray Devil was hit through the chest and upper body by three spears at the same time and died near instantly.

Akeno was able to avoid the assault. As she looked around however she saw that her partner had less luck.

 **xxx**

Koneko knew she had been lucky. It was some instinct that told her to move in the last moment... or it would have been her head that had been hit instead of just her shoulder. Injured for the second time, in just a couple of days, she thought.

As they looked upwards they saw a trio of Fallen Angels, standing on the tops of the trees surrounding them. One of them was a man, wearing a dark colored trench coat and a hat, another was a blue haired woman in a very tight... and very short... business suit and the last one looked like a very young girl in a gothic Lolita outfit.

What made it even worse, was that along with them a group of six men had shown up, who seemed to be Stray Exorcists.

"Ah, what do we have here? A few Devils trying to kill each other," Dohnaseek announced. "You know we have been trying to track you down for some time now... and here is the chance for an interesting fight. Even if one of you is already done for," he said, looking in the direction of Viser´s dead body. "Now, how about **we** take over for her?" he asked.

Akeno and Koneko knew they had problems.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _About a half kilometer away_

Murayama didn´t know what to think. No, that was more than an understatement. Right now she wasn´t even completely sure anymore what goddamn fucking planet she was on.

She knew that the habit she had developed to keep an eye on Issei Hyoudou and follow him around whenever she saw him somewhere was... well, somewhat questionable. Or more than that.

But even in her wildest dreams she would have never imagined to see what she just did.

The same boy she had been trying to subtle... or maybe not so subtle... observe for the last days, had just appeared only a minute ago from an empty street corner, along with not just one but two girls. That alone was a bit strange given his reputation. She saw that they were going in the direction of the park. At night? she asked herself.

Murayama decided to follow him once again. But it was what she saw then what truly blew her mind and made her question her own sanity.

As they had arrived at the park, that was of course completely empty at this time of the day, the two girls suddenly changed... transformed. Both of them were suddenly grewing black feathered wings on their backs and changed their appearance and clothing. One of them was now even wearing something that looked like a strange dominatrix outfit.

What was going on here? She felt as if she had gotten herself into some sort of manga. And Issei? She saw how a bizarre looking device suddenly appeared out of nowhere on his left arm.

"This place, why does it have to be this place?" she heard him saying as he looked in the direction of the park. But of course she had no idea what he meant.

What in the world was going on here? she asked herself again, looking at the strange group who had just managed to shatter her perception of reality.

She felt how she was once again walking after them, as she saw them running... or in case of the two girls actually flying... further into the park, in the direction where she could hear some loud noises coming from.

If she had not been under shock from what she had just seen, if she had her senses still completely together, then they would have probably told her that this was a very stupid idea and that she should have better run in the other direction. But as things were, she couldn´t overcome her curiosity.

* * *

 **Chapter 8 is finally finished. It has taken me a few days longer than expected, since I was distracted by other things.**

 **With the next chapter will beginn a multicrossover aspect of this story. That means since it deals with parallel universes, characters from other shows or mythologies can and will appear. This had already begun mildly with the inclussion of Dracula, who will appear in his Hellsing Alucard incarnation. But from now on this will become a bit more prominent.**


	9. Chapter 9: Life and Death

**Chapter 9  
**

Dohnaseek admitted, when he received the orders to go after the Devils he had been happy. Finally, the chance for a real fight instead of hiding and working in secret.

Besides being the only male, he was also the oldest member of Raynare´s former group. In fact, he had been alive since before the end of the Great War. Of course he had been a no-name fighter back then, only one of the countless faces in the mass. Still, sometimes he nearly missed those times. At least back then things were clearer than they are now.

He was one of the supporters of Lord Kokabiel´s more aggressive course, instead of Azazel´s newer `peace´ policies. In the end only came down to giving in to their enemies whenever some sort of dispute came up. At least Kokabiel was willing to stand up for their race, even if it could mean a new conflict.

As the humans would say it: `Better risk to die on your feet than live on your knees.´ Or something like that.

Of course someone like Raynare, with her blind devotion to Azazel could just not see that. In her eyes he was still the leader from the Great War. A man who no longer existed since before her life even began.

`Azazel´s fangirl´, that´s how she was called under the hand by some people in the ranks. It was not hard to suspect that she might have secretly hoped to become one of his concubines.

Well, wherever Azazel had send her to, he hoped she was happy with it. Dohnaseek for his part was glad that things here were now finally getting his way.

He had been sick of the endless laying low the waiting and hiding, he ached for some action, for an active mission, a fight... and now he finally got his wish.

They had taken the three Devils by surprise and already killed one of them - ironically the Stray the other two were fighting against - and wounded another.

Together with their remaining Exorcist group, they have them cornered the last uninjured `Devil´. She had defended herself with her lightning power quite well. Oh yes, he was aware who she was, Baraquiel´s traitorous daughter... and now the `Queen´ of the Gremory heiress. She and the smaller white haired girl were still putting up a fight. But they were attacking them from all sides.

But as it turned out Baraquiel´s brat had some actual fighting skills. She managed to kill two of their Stray Exorcists with a powerful burst of lightning. Her already wounded comrade was able to take another one down. Defeated by an injured child Devil, he didn´t know it he should pity the man for his death or for his weakness.

The small girl herself however was also looking as if she could barely stand anymore. Both the wound and the light that had entered her body were obviously taking their toll on her. It was probably only a short time until she would collapse.

And as it looked they would not even need the reinforcements that Lord Kokabiel had promised them.

Nearly the same moment however Kalawarner was hit by another powerful burst of lightning from the traitor, through a mixture of simple luck... or bad luck in Kalawarner´s case... and Akeno´s expertise. The Fallen Angel let out a terrible scream as the high level electricity ripped through her body and she fell crashing to the ground. She continued to use her lightning at her for a few more moments to the already injured opponent, causing even more damage.

Normally she would be laughing about the painful looking attack she had just landed on one of the enemies... and even now she couldn´t hold back a grin. But she knew the situation was more than serious.

She herself barely manage to survive one more barrage of lightspears. She dodged another spear... until she was finally hit as well. She saw that it had pierced clean through her leg. This was it, she thought.

Koneko didn´t look as if she could fight for even another minute. And neither would she against so many opponents. Unless help would arrive very quickly, they were both dead.

A few seconds later Koneko collapsed and Akeno herself had already sank to her knees.

Right then another magic circle appeared a short distance from them all. But their short moment of hope that the others had arrived was nearly instantly dashed as they realized that the circle was not from the Gremory clan, but one they had ever seen before... and when they saw that the figure appearing before them was yet another Fallen Angel.

The newcomer was looking over the fighting-place.

"I see you have already done most of the work without me," he said.

"Sartael-sama," Dohnaseek greeted him, a bit surprised. "Lord Kokabiel didn't say that you would come in person."

"No, you have just been given the necessary information," the man replied. "But as I see one of them is still standing." He was looking at Akeno, who was struggling to move with her wounded leg.

The stranger spread his black feathered wings. His **three** pairs of wings. Six wings, Akeno thought. This was a higher level Fallen Angel.

The stranger attacked her and took her down with one move... and only a small gesture, as if squashing an insect.

He didn't use a lightspear. Instead he formed with his hand a small globe of what looked like concentrated light energy. He threw it at her and Akeno was thrown to the ground with visible burn wounds.

"Two Devils less to stain this world," the man named Sartael commented as he was looking at them. "Now, would you please finish them off Dohnaseek."

He let his gaze wander over the fighting site. "But there is one last thing," he said.

Without any warning he fired another attack, directly at the three remaining Stray Exorcists. That was left behind was nothing but burning remains of flesh.

Dohnaseek and Mittelt were, to say the very least, more than a little bit unsettled about this.

Sartael, who they knew as the right hand of Lord Kokabiel himself, had just killed three of their allies without a moment of hesitation. Of course the Exorcists were basically only hired guns, but they were still on their side. So what purpose did this serve?

"Good, one loose ends less," Sartael stated. "Then there is only one thing left..." he looked at the wounded Kalawarner. Kill **her** ," he said.

"What?" Dohnaseek asked in shock. "What are you talking about? She is one of us."

The others... including Kalawarner herself of course, who was staring at him from the ground, unable to even say anything... could also barely believe what they were hearing.

"Yes. That is exactly the point," the six winged Fallen replied.

"What do you mean?" Dohnaseek angrily asked him.

"Let us say, to reach what is best for our Faction, sacrifices have to be made," Sartael told him. "You are one of the people who understands that. A new war is unavoidable... and should start better soon than later.

But just the loss of these two pathetic servants will not hit the Devils hard enough. They will just whine a bit and do nothing. That stupid brat that had been handed control of this town by her brother, will just get two other `evil pieces´ and simply turn two other idiots to replace these two."

He was fully aware that the two Gremory servants were still conscious and heard every word he was saying. But he didn't care. Should these two filthy Devils know how worthless their lives were, even to their own people.

"And our side? They will be willing to compromise and make `amends´. Just like always under Azazel´s `leadership´," he said with disdain. "Not that the Devils would ever make any amends to **us** though," he remarked.

"But if the Devils killed one of us and an entire group of our Exorcists in an unprovoked ambush... and we killed some of them in return. Let us say that many of our people are also having enough of always giving in to the Devils. And if **a few** such incidents happened..."

"Bastard," Akeno spat at him as she heard what he was saying.

Dohnaseek was known to be a ruthless fighter under the Grigori. Always starving for some real combat and not giving any quarter to the enemy. But **this**?

"That is enough," he said. "This is madness. Kalawarner may be a dumb bitch sometimes, but she is a member of my team. I **won´t** do it. You are crazy. Wait till Lord Kokabiel hears about this."

Without another word or a moment of hesitation, Sartael moved and shot him with the same attack he had used against Akeno earlier.

"Lord Kokabiel was the one who had ordered it you fool," he stated as he looked down at him.

"Now it looks as if we get one martyr more for our cause. What do you think... **Mittelt**... that was your name, wasn't it?" he turned to the last member of the group. "Are you with me..." he grinned, "or are you with them?" He pointed at Kalawarner and Dohnaseek, who were desperately trying to stand up again, to do anything to defend themselves.

She said nothing for a few moments, just looking at him fearfully.

"I... I am with you Sartael-sama," she answered then, visibly intimidated.

"Good. In this case prove your loyalty. Kill one of them. I don´t care which one. I will just take the other."

The truth was he had been intending from the beginning to have at least two of them killed. Lord Kokabiel´s original plan had actually been to sacrifice the entire group. They were all only cannon fodder anyway.

But his own team could also need some extra help for the things that are coming. So he decided that he would take the one who was most willing to get along with his way. He would have never expected it to be the small gothic lolita though. Actually he thought it would be Dohnaseek. But as it turns out he didn't have the guts to do what was told to do.

Mittelt now formed a light-spear in her hand and stepped closer to Kalawarner.

"You know when I think about it, I never really liked you," she said to her. "And those oversized boobs of yours were always getting on my nerves. Maybe I should just cut them off before I finish you, what do you think?" A wicked grin now formed on her face.

"You little bitch," Kalawarner hissed.

Dohnaseek was standing up again, intending to not go down without a fight.

"Ah, a fighter after all," Sartael commented. "Only one too sentimental to be of any use to us."

In this moment another transport circle appeared before them. This time however it was actually the rest of the Gremory peerage who had just teleported in.

The Angel called Sartael however only grinned when he saw their arrival. It seemed a far better prey than these two devil-slaves here had just come. If he killed the sister of one of the Maous, it would be **far** more efficient than just this charade here.

Rias on the other hand was quickly losing her courage, now as she saw their opponent. Six wings. What in the world was someone like that doing in **her** town? She knew they were outmatched.

He instantly attacked them.

 **xxxxxxx**

As Issei, Gaeriel and Raynare arrived, less than a minute later, nearly Rias entire peerage was down, just like Dohnaseek and Kalawarner.

Only she herself was still standing... barely. It was clear that she had no chance at all. The only reason she was even still able to fight was that, until a few moments ago she had Kiba at her side. That and that their opponent didn´t seemed to be very serious at all.

They saw the six winged Fallen Angel who had obviously been dominating the fight. Neither Issei and Gaeriel had ever seen him before - no wonder in Issei´s case, but Gaeriel had been an Angel of Heaven and a Guardian.

But Raynare, as a member of the Grigori, **did** have.

"Issei, be careful. I know this man. He is very dangerous," she warned him.

Issei had heard her. Trusting her was of course another matter. But dangerous or not, he would not simply let this guy kill all the others, even if he had issues with most of them.

"Hey," he shouted at him.

"Ah, so you have arrived as well," Sartael greeted them as he turned around in their direction, "the group Lord Azazel currently have dealings with," he stated casually.

Issei saw Rias gaze shift to him for a moment as their enemy said this.

"Raynare?" Dohnaseek asked in surprise as he recognized her. "What are you doing here?"

"Dohnaseek," she greeted him with a good bit of sarcasm. "Now, what is this? I am gone for just a few days and everything goes downhill?" she asked, grinning smugly.

" **You** ," he nearly growled at her, but calmed himself down. If she and the others were saving his ass here, then he would gladly accept a few smart comments from her.

Issei saw their short exchange as well. The Raynare he `knew and loved´ was obviously back now, after her breakdown from yesterday.

But right now that was the least of his worries. He turned to Rias.

"We will talk about this later," he said to her. "We have other problems to deal with."

She nodded.

"Oh and what do you want to talk about?" Sartael asked them mockingly. "Maybe about the fact that you Issei Hyoudou and this Fallen Angel there," he pointed at Gaeriel, "are both members of a secret organization that has its origin in another universe.

An organization that is working in dozens, maybe hundreds of parallel worlds and that has now made a secret agreement with Lord Azazel. How are you usually called?... Oh right, the Guardians. And I guess our friend Raynare here is a new recruit as well, right?" Sartael announced.

Rias and her peerage were just looking gobsmacked at what he just said, their eyes wandering between Issei and Gaeriel and him.

"How did you...?" Gaeriel asked completely aghast. In the next moments she realized that is was probably not a god idea to say it like that.

" **Don´t** tell me this crazy story is true?" Rias called out.

Shit, she thought. She should have followed the same advice she had given Issei and learned to just keep her big mouth shut.

"How do I know about all this?" Sartael repeated. "You could say I have some kind of source. And it is not the only thing I know. How about this Sacred Gear holder Asia Argento who you have saved and are hiding here right under the Devil´s nose. It was Lord Kokabiel himself who told me this."

This caused even more awkward looks from Rias and the others.

"Like Issei said, we will talk about this, but not now," Gaeriel told them.

"Okay," the Devil replied. "But we **will** talk."

"Look out," Issei exclaimed.

Sartael fired another of his attacks on her, hoping to catch her off guard. But the Gremory Devil avoided it, barely.

He knew the situation from a just few minutes ago had completely changed. Of course he was easily superior to every single one of them on their own. But all of them together? He admitted he wasn´t so sure.

By talking about the information of the Guardians he had been given, he had hoped to create a rift between these two `allies´. To turn them against each other. And while he certainly succeeded to saw some mistrust, it wasn´t enough to bring them apart... yet.

"Tell me Fallen Angel, what are you doing here?" Rias asked him. "This is Devil's territory... and you are attacking my servants."

"Rias, this guy wants to kill us," Akeno called out to her, "... and also his own allies as well... and then blame it all on us. He **wants** a new war and he want to make it look as if **we** are responsible."

Hearing this angered the Gremory heiress only even more.

"You would sacrifice your own allies like that?"

"As if you wouldn´t do the same thing if it suits your needs **Devil** ," he replied. "But we both know just killing two of your servants wouldn´t give my Lord what he wants. **You** on the other hand. If I kill you.

By yourself you might be only a weak pathetic brat. But it is your family that makes you important. Imagine, just your useless little life," he told her mockingly, letting the words hang in the air.

Rias didn´t know what enraged her more, his insults against her or his claim that she would sacrifice her own servants.

It made no difference anyway. He was attacking once again, throwing light-spears and small globes of energy at them... and the one Fallen Angel who as it seemed had decided to side with him was backing him up now.

 **xxx**

The teenage girl who was standing in a short distance to them, hiding in the shrubbery between the trees close by, could still not believe what she was seeing.

She had been following her class-mate Issei because she was convinced that something strange was going on with him. But what she had found was nothing else than a fight between monsters? supernatural creatures? there was no other way how she could call it.

She had heard the terms Devil and Fallen Angel being shouted by the beings before her. And Issei Hyoudou was right between them. Murayama didn´t quite know what to think or to do.

 **xxx**

The fight was still going on. Despite being hopelessly outnumbered... in the moment it was Issei, Gaeriel, Raynare, Rias Gremory, Dohnaseek and Kiba, who just managed to get up again, against only him and Mittelt... Sartael was still quite confident that he could reach what he wanted.

Half of them were already damaged. But he was also starting to get tired. He cursed himself in part for toying with the Devils earlier. Otherwise this would already be over.

But he also had another, easier solution, left. He threw another couple of attacks in their direction which they all easily evaded. But he used this chance to make another move.

In a split second he had gone from the place he had been before and was now standing at a small group of trees around two dozen meters away.

But he was not alone. Most of them recognized the girl he was holding in his grip. It was Murayama.

Issei saw it as well. What was **she** doing here? She must have followed him, he realized. He had known about the curiosity she had developed about him. He had planned to talk with her about it, but didn´t came to it yet.

Gaeriel and Raynare had taken position next to him. Both having formed light-spears and pointing them at their opponent.

"Ah, who do we have here?" Sartael asked, while Murayama was struggling to break free from him. But of course she had no chance against the hold of the Fallen Angel.

"Hyoudou-kun," she called out as she saw him.

"Can it be that you know this girl?" Sartael asked.

He had felt the presence of a human close by. Given that it was in the middle of the night in the park, none of them had actually bothered to create a barrier to keep intruders away. He had intended to take whoever it was as a hostage. But this seemed even better as he had hoped.

"She is a student of the same school as you, isn´t she?" he questioned. "One last time, it does not have to be like this `Hyoudou-san´. Just step aside and leave this Devil to me... and I will let this girl go. We don´t have to be enemies. Believe me, she and her kind are scum that needs to be exterminated."

"Don´t even think about it," Gaeriel said. "You know I can't stand these Devils myself. But if the sister of one of the Maous dies through the hands of a Fallen Angel, it could maybe cause a new war."

Issei was clenching his teeth. He knew she was right, even if he hated it. But Murayama was only here because of him.

"Well, I guess that means no. A pity," Sartael said.

Issei wanted - needed - to do something. He knew he was about to see one of his classmates die... all because she had been curious about what he had been doing.

He rushed forward as fast as he could, with superhuman speed. But his enemy was even faster.

In the moments Issei had reached them, he had already formed a light-spear and stepped it right through Murayama´s heart. All he could do was catch the dying girl in his arms.

Sartael draw back as attacks from Raynare, Gaeriel and Rias hit him. But none was strong enough to cause any lasting damage.

"No... no," Issei stammered as he saw the state of his classmate.

Murayama was looking at him. Her lips were moving as if she wanted to say something. But she couldn´t anymore. A moment later she was dead.

Issei was in shock. He could only think one thing... It's all **my fault**. If he had been more careful, if she hadn´t been following him, if he had taken the time to talk to her earlier... **if**... If only.

He felt tears flowing from his eyes. He truly was an idiot. Nothing but a perverted fool

 **[Don´t blame yourself partner.]** he heard Ddgraig´s voice in his head. **[You couldn´t have known that she would follow you to this place. Remember, you had good reasons why you didn´t had a chance to talk to her earlier. You had other things and other people to worry about, Asia Argento... Freed Selzen... your actions saved many.]**

`This won´t help Murayama,´ he replied.

 **[No, but it helped all the other people whose lives were saved, including Asia.]**

Issei remembered every moment he had spent in school next to this girl, every time he talked to her, even the times she attacked him for peeking on her. This would now never happen again, all because of that bastard. And he felt his sadness turn into anger and rage.

Issei felt how energy was slowly building up inside him, how it was taking form and concentrating, here right in the palms of his hands. He laid Murayama´s body to the ground and stood up.

He remembered at this point that maybe Rias would be able to bring her back as a Devil. **If** she was willing to do that. But it would still not be the same. She would no longer be human... she would have to be her servant.

No, it would not be the same. And it would not just erase the fact that she died here.

He had never been this angry before, not even as Raynare had killed him or as he heard about her plans to kill Asia. What got to him most was the pure **senselessness** of it.

Whatever selfish motives she also had, Raynare actually believed that possessing the Twilight Healing would be a great help for her people... and she had been willing to kill Asia over it... something he truly had a hard time forgiving her for... and she had killed him because she had been given actual reason to believe that he could a threat to both her plans... and to the people around him.

As much as her decisions angered him and her betrayal hurt him, he could at least in a twisted way understand **why** she acted like that.

But **this**. He had taken her hostage. But it was already clear that they would **not** simply hand over Rias Gremory. There has been nothing to win for him by killing her, nothing to gain. It was completely pointless.

He just did it because he **could**. Just because they had refused to give in to his demands. Because they didn´t let him have his way... to give Rias to him to be killed.

Isse saw how his entire rage was released in form of a large blast of energy that he fired from his hands and was directed at their enemy.

Sartael - just like everyone else - was completely surprised by this attack, as the blast hit him and send him flying straight through a line of trees, before he was finally slammed into the ground.

"Sartael-sama," Mittelt called out, more out of fear for herself than of actual worry, since she had just openly betrayed her comrades.

`What - what was that?´ Issei asked himself.

 **[Dragon-shot is one of the techniques of the Boosted Gear,]** Draig explained. **[But this was somehow different. Far more powerful as it is meant to. It wouldn't be the first time your powers worked a bit different as they used to.]**

`You mean like with my short fight against Kiba?´

 **[Yes.]**

Issei saw that most of the others were staring at him with open mouths.

"I have to say I am impressed," Raynare commented. "To think that I ever thought of you as a weak human."

In some distance however they saw that Sartael was coming up once again. He showed visible burn marks on his body and his wings seemed to have taken some damage. But he seemed to have survived the attack without any greater injuries.

In this moment however something else changed about the entire situation.

From the direction where Issei´s and his group´s temporally `base´ was located, they saw three figures running in their direction. It was Irina and Xenovia... and a few meters behind them, Asia. The two Exorcists were now dressed in leathern combat clothing and had their swords drawn, while the former Nun stayed in some a bit greater distance away.

"You two were meant to stay and keep an eye on the base," Gaeriel reminded them.

"We thought you could use help," Irina replied.

"And beside that, we don´t take orders from Fallen Angels," Xenovia added, "even if they are on our side."

"Whatever, it is good that you are here. And as you can see we have some injured here, that means you could help as well Asia. Raynare might have a hard time to heal them all alone," Gaeriel told her.

She got strange looks from the two Exorcists for saying Asia´s name like this in front of the Devils. They didn´t know that their enemy had already blown their secret.

Issei however had other things on his mind. He could only look at the girl lying before him. She was dead... because of him. He would not simply accept this. There had to be something that could be done. After all he came back as well.

Yes, he suddenly remembered. The memories that Gaeriel had transferred to him. Under them was also the knowledge of a technique, the same one that had brought **him** back.

He felt the energy building up inside of him again. But this time he would use it for something different than an attack.

 **xxx**

Sartael, from his point of view, saw that on top of everything else he had now two Holy-Sword wielders against him as well. It was enough.

"Mittelt, he said to her, "we are leaving."

"Yes, Sartael-sama," she replied.

Magic circles appeared beneath both of them and one moment later they were gone.

 **xxx**

They were gone.

"Raynare, Asia, could you please heal the others," Gaeriel asked them. "both, the Fallen Angels **and** the Devils," she said in Raynare´s direction.

"Of course," the other Fallen Angel replied sarcastically, "I wouldn't dream about leaving these poor Devils to suffer. Not that they would lift a finger for me if I were in their situation."

Many of them had heard this comment, but nobody said anything.

The Devils of course noticed that there were in fact two people who possessed the power of the Twilight Healing. How this was possible was another question.

Asia was just about to heal Kiba. For a short moment she saw him giving a short very sharp glance at Xenovia who was standing close by and still holding her sword in her hands. Or maybe she had been wrong, Asia thought.

A second later Kiba was back to his normal self and thanking her for her help.

Raynare had just healed Kalawarner and was now turning her `attention´ to Koneko, while Asia was healing Akeno. Dohnaseek was the one with the least severe injuries, so they would wait for him till the end.

They turned to Issei... they remembered the girl who was with him. But they knew for her all help was probably too late.

"Issei... I could..." Rias was just about to offer him to resurrect this girl. Sure, she didn't have a Sacred Gear or another source of power, but given all he had done to help her - even with the grudge he had against her - this was the least she could do for him.

But then she and the others saw what he was doing.

He was kneeling over Murayama's body and a bright glowing white light was shining from his hands. Then he lowered them on her and let the energy flow into her.

For a few moments nothing happened... before she started to move again. First it seemed as if a shock went through her limbs that caused her entire body to suddenly cramp.

Then they saw that she slowly began breath again. The wound through her chest started to heal on a rapid rate.

But she still showed no sign of waking up, lying unconscious before them.

The others could once again only stare in disbelieve at him.

"Ise-kun, what have you done?" Asia asked him.

"You can bring back the dead?" Raynare questioned.

Gaeriel sat down next to Issei, who was still on his knees before the reanimated girl. She used her supernatural senses, all of them, to check and examine her as good as she could. As she found what she had suspected, she turned to her partner.

"Issei you..." she began.

"I wanted her to live..." he said. "I just wanted her to live."

"Yes she will live," Gaeriel repeated, " **forever** ," she said a bit sharper.

"What?" Issei asked now surprised.

"The technique that you used is normally meant to recruit new Guardians. It transfers some of the Guardian´s inherited energy into you, that merges with your own and reconstructs and enhances the bodies functions. In opposite to that, for example the Devils, you stay the same species. But the new recruit is turned **immortal** in the process," she explained hastily.

"It is the same technique Darien used for you. But he modified it to make sure you keep your human life-span, so you could eventually return to a normal life if you wanted. In opposite to you however, he actually knew what he was doing. She is still human, technically, but she will never age a day for the rest of her existence... and we are lucky if that is the only anomaly," she added.

"What do you mean?" Issei asked, now worried.

"The energy you have transferred into her might be unstable," she stated.

Issei felt as if he had been punched in the gut. Unstable? he knew all too well what this could lead to from his talks with Ddraig and Raynare. Had he actually brought Murayama back only to get her killed again in the long run?

"Issei... I," something about her demeanor changed, "I am sorry that I was talking to you like that. I know you mean well. It is just. I am not sure about this either. I have never used this technique myself. I am not an expert. We need to bring her to the others."

"You mean the other Guardians?"

"Yes, we should visit the home-universe of our organization," she told him.

This of course peeked the interest of everyone around them.

"There is also another reason why we should meet with them," Gaeriel pointed out. "This Sartael, he **knew** about us. That means someone must have told them, very likely someone from the other side... our enemies."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Kuoh Academy_

It was less than an hour later that they were all assembled in front of the school. Issei and his group were standing on one side, the Devils on the other. However, it was not only Rias peerage who they were already acquainted with, but Sona´s as well.

"I believe you have not been `officially´ introduced yet," Rias said to Issei and the others. "Sona is the heir of the Sitri family and the sister of the current Maou Leviathan as you probably know."

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Sona greeted them in her typically stoic manner. "That means of course officially in your case Hyoudou. As I remember we have met several times before."

Yes, he actually remembered several times she had warned him off, Issei thought. Normally he would probably make a comment about that. But with the girl that was lying still unconscious in his arms, he had other things on his mind right now.

Murayama was `alive´ again because of what he did. But by what Gaeriel had told him she was now in an unstable state... also because of him... and needed to be looked at by someone who knows more about this form of reanimation. More than either he or Gaeriel did.

That meant they needed to meet with the other Guardians. The ones who were outside of this world. But for the moment they were still stuck here, explaining the situation to Rias and the other Devils.

Gaeriel had told him that she had already contacted them and that they would prepare a transport to a place where they could get help.

 **xxx**

After they had just returned from the fight, Kalawarner and Dohnaseek in tow, they had waited for Sona and the others and then Issei and Gaeriel had given them a short explanation about who and what the Guardians were, more or less the same short explanation Issei himself had received in the beginning. They also told them of what they had found out about Kokabiel´s conspiracy and his connection to the terrorist-organization they were tracking down.

To say these Devils were stunned would be the understatement of the year. A powerful faction that they didn´t know about, that had its roots far away from their world.

"It is good that you have finally told us all this," Rias said to them in a friendly tone. "I am sure now that we know who and what your organization is, we will get along better."

"Indeed, now that we are starting to know each other, I am sure we will be able to build up a friendly relationship," Sona stated.

"I would seriously doubt that." Gaeriel scoffed. "To be honest, the Guardians were never on good terms with the Devils and I don´t think that's going to happen anytime soon."

"But you are on `good terms´ with the Fallen Angels?" Sona asked now more aggressively. "Rias told us that you made some kind of deal with Azazel."

"Hardly on `good terms´," she responded. "In fact the Grigori didn´t even knew about our existence until a few days ago. I might technically be a Fallen Angel myself, but I have never been a part of them. And they still don´t actually know **who** we are. Still, there are many things wrong in the Grigori, I am the first to admit that. But it is not nearly as much as in **your** society."

"Since you are a Fallen Angel yourself, technically or not, I doesn't surprise me that you say this," Sona replied drily.

"Okay, I want to know it now," Rias exclaimed angrily. "What exactly is your problem with us? From the first time we met you always acted as if we Devils are trash to you."

"You are kidding right. Do you truly want a list?" she asked. "How about **this** for the beginning. Rogue Fallen Angels, Stray Devils, terrorists, if it wasn't for your arrogant claim that this entire town is `your territory´, beings like that wouldn't even show up here and endanger innocent people in the first place... and then you are standing here as if you deserve a medal for helping to fight these guys, while nothing of this would have happened if it weren´t for you."

Rias felt as if she had been slapped. She made it sound as if it was **her** fault what had happened to this girl. Sona looked as if she had taken the accusation a bit better, but she knew her well enough to know that it got to her as well.

 **xxx**

The other two remaining members of the Fallen Angel group, Dohnaseek and Kalawarner were standing in some greater distance away, not truly trusting the situation.

Raynare had told them a few minutes ago about what she had heard from Freed Selzen and what she had been told by Lord Azazel at the headquarter. It seemed nearly unbelievable, such a complete betrayal from one of their leaders... setting their entire team up to die, conspiring with a Devil against them. But after what just happened with Sartael, they were all too willing to believe it.

He had been willing to see them all dead for his goal of a new war. **This** was the man he had been following, Dohnaseek thought... a madman.

And now they were standing here, right in front of a Devil stronghold, exhausted and confronted with what seemed to be two entire peerages... depending on whatever deal Raynare and her new allies had with these Devils to survive.

 **xxx**

"We will talk about this again another time," Gaeriel said to the two pureblood Devils before her. "I have contacted my group and they will open a portal that will lead us to the home-world of our organization very soon."

"This is okay," Rias replied. "But I fear before you can go, we will have to introduce you to three other guests who will arrive every moment."

"Other guests?" Gaeriel asked.

She didn't need to wait long for the answer. Less than two minutes later three more figures appeared in front of them, teleporting right from the Underworld. The first was someone Issei and Gaeriel already knew, the silver haired maid from the House of Gremory, Gayfia, the second was a tall young man with long red hair who was looking very much like a male version of Rias... and the third... they could barely believe it.

It was a young woman in what was clearly some sort of magical-girl outfit.

"May I introduce, Sirzechs Lucifer, Rias brother and one of the Maou," Akeno stated. "This is Serafall Leviathan, Sona´s older sister... and Grayfia, maid of the House of Gremory and Sirzechs Queen," she said for the sake of the ones who didn´t already knew the silver haired woman.

"You have called your brother?" Issei asked Rias accusingly. "You have told him about **us**?"

"Of course," she replied defensively. "Put yourself in my situation. We have just found out about a new Faction, one that is not even from this world. Think about the possibilities for my race. My brother is one of the Maou. How could I **not** tell him?"

Issei admitted she had a point here. He couldn't have expected her and Sona not to inform their siblings about something like this. But on the other side he was truly running out of patience. He wanted to bring Murayama to the Guardians as quickly as possible and had no time to talk to these people.

Before Issei could continue this line of thought however, something else happened.

The girl... or rather Maou... in the magical-girl outfit was throwing her arms around Sona and draw her into a hug.

"Sona-tan, I am so glad that nothing had happened to you. I was so worried when I heard about it," she exclaimed.

"Calm down Onee-sama. It was Rias who had been attacked, not me," Sona replied, visibly trying to keep her voice down.

"But I still couldn't help to be worried," the `girl´ Maou replied, looking a bit as if she was pouting.

"Hello, it is nice to meet you all," she then turned to the others. "As you have already been told, I am Serafall Leviathan. But please just call me Levi-tan," she announced while taking a typical magical-girl pose.

All of them looked gobsmacked at the display, especially the Fallen Angels. Issei saw that Raynare had a grin on her face and looked as if she could barely hold herself back from bursting out into laughter. Even Gaeriel looked as if she could barely hold herself together.

"If this is a Maou, I have to ask myself why our people have not beaten them centuries ago," Dohnaseek whispered to Kalawarner." But since they were standing a good dozen meters away from the rest, nobody took notice of this.

"So you are Issei Hyoudou," the man introduced as Sirzechs greeted him. "I have heard much about you."

"You did?" Issei stated, not really caring much at the moment.

"That you have challenged Raiser for example... and of course about this organization you are part of," he stated.

"Of course," Issei replied.

"And you are Gaeriel if I am not mistaken, a Fallen Angel who is not part of the Grigori but a member of the `Guardian´ organization. As such we will not consider you our enemy. Or Group-Leader Raynare here for that matter," Sirzechs explained.

"How courteous of you," Gaeriel replied with ligh sarcasm, "and what `can´ we do for you in return?"

"We are just interested in peaceful diplomatic and political contact with your group," the Maou told her.

"You mean we are your first version of real life aliens and now you desperately want to make `first contact´," she stated.

"In a sense you could put it that way," Sirzechs admitted. "You are a group... a powerful group by what my sister told me... that possesses abilities and techniques we have never heard before... you even have access to other worlds, I have been told. Of course we are interested to know you better."

"You realize that my group is not exactly thinking highly about Devils?" Gaeriel asked him.

"Yes, I have heard about this," he replied. "But I am sure we can work over this as soon as we both realize how much **cooperation** can give our two sides," he said diplomatically.

"And it might also give you an edge over your enemies," she commented.

"None of us wants a restart of the war between the Factions," Sirzechs told her. "But you have already made contact with the Grigory. So you could see this as just evening the odds."

"I truly don´t want to interrupt you," Issei said to them, "but we are planning to leave this world at this very moment. My friend here needs help and we are going to the place where she can get it. So if you could please spare this discussion for another time?"

"I see. This is no problem," Sirzechs responded. "Actually, we are planning to go with you."

"What?" Gaeriel called out.

"Just like I said, we want to make contact.

"You can't honestly expect me to bring a group of Devils uninvited directly in our headquarters," Gaeriel pointed out. "You can forget that. I will tell my leaders about your request... and then they will tell me when they will meet with you." If at all, she thought.

"I truly hate to bring this up," Sirzechs said, "but as I understand it your organization wants to keep their existence a secret, right? If we could talk to you quickly and make sure you have no hostile intention, I am sure we can keep your existence between me, Serafall and the other Maou for the time being. But if we **can't** , I fear we will have to inform the rest of our society."

"With other words, your blackmailing us," Gaeriel replied.

"You can see it as this. But we are only defending our own interests. If you are active in this world and especially in our territory, you understand that we want to know more about you," he stated. "There is also the matter of the two Fallen Angels," he mentioned. "As I understand they had been part of an ambush for two of the servants of my sister?"

"They had acted under orders from `questionable elements´ inside the Grigori," Raynare told him, "and they had been betrayed by their leader. I intend to recruit them as part of our group."

"But they aren't part of it yet," Sirzechs argued. "That means we don´t necessarily have to give them the same immunity as you."

"Gaeriel, we have no time for this," Issei reminded her.

"Don´t worry. The others will open the portal any moment, independent from this discussion here," she replied. "Okay," she addressed the two Maou and the other Devils. "We will take you with us. All of you who wants to go. But after that I will guarantee for nothing," she told them.

A few seconds later a large portal... a rift between the dimensions... was opening right in front of them. It was different from the ways the Devils or the other Factions used for transportation. But from the structure is quite similar.

Issei and his group, together with Dohnaseek and Kalawarner, stepped into the portal. Shortly followed by Sirzechs, Serafall, Grayfia and Rias with her peerage. Sona and her group had already agreed to stay behind to take care of things while they are gone.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The planet Earth in another universe - the year 2724_

The... on some parts a bit quite unwillingly... combined group was just stepping out of the other end of the portal.

From one moment to the other they found themselves in a different universe.

What they were seeing was not really what they had expected.

"Where are we?" Sirzechs asked.

"We are on Earth, but another one as you are used to, London to be exact," Gaeriel informed him, "and in the 28th. century of this world."

The last part of her statement took everyone by surprise. This was not only a different dimension, it was also from their p.o.v, the future.

They saw that this really seemed to be the outskirts of the English capital... but in no way is the one they knew. They could make out several futuristic looking buildings and flying above them was something that looked like a space-ship... before it was landing somewhere at the other side of the city.

Once again nearly all of them could do nothing but stare, barely believing what they were seeing.

"This is so cool," Serafall said grinning.

They noticed then several people standing only a short distance away from them. Issei recognized one of them as Darien, the same being who had brought him back to life. But this time he was obviously hiding his energy and seemed more like a regular human than a cosmic super-being.

But Issei knew what this man truly was.

Behind them was a very large... no a gigantic... building, that looked like a cross between an oversize mansion and a fortress.

"Gaeriel, Issei," Darien greeted them both, "it is good to see you again. I see you have brought the others as well."

Next to him were an old man with long white hair and a beard, two identical looking red haired women in leather clothing - both could give Rias a run for her money in the `hot´ department, a man with wild looking black hair, a brown haired young man and a very young looking blonde woman in a light grey cloak, that was a bit similar to the ones that Irina and Xenovia were usually wearing over their combat clothing.

"But it seems there are some more guests as we have expected," Darien mentioned.

Gaeriel opened her mind to him and one moment later he knew everything. Of course while he could have easily bypassed her mental shields if he wanted, he only did it with her permission.

"I see," he stated.

"You have to take a look at this girl," Gaeriel said to him, pointing at Murayama.

"Of course," he replied and took her out of Issei´s arms.

"You are the Maous Sirzechs Lucifer and Serafall Leviathan," Darien addressed the Devils, "and you want to establish diplomatic contacts with us."

"Yes," Sirzechs replied.

"And for that you have invited yourself with some... let us say `questionable methods´," he stated, smiling at them.

"I admit... yes," the Devil King answered. "We are not exactly proud of it."

"We will see about that," Darien replied. "But as you can see I have to take care of this girl right now. So I will send you to talk to my old friend Vlad. He is something that you could call our `public relations expert´," he told them, once again smiling. "Seras, would you please bring these people to your master," he addressed the blonde woman in the cloak.

"Of course, he has informed me that he will return in a few minutes," she replied. "Please follow me," she said to both Issei´s group and the Devils.

Sirzechs, just like his sister, Grayfia and even Serafall, had tried to use their power and their senses to at least get a better impression of these people, even if not to directly manipulate them.

But to Sirzechs complete surprise he found out absolutely **nothing**. It was as if his mental powers were not even working or as if the shielding's these beings were so strong that they could completely neutralize them. Just who were these people. He could not help getting a bit nervous.

`Vlad Vlad,´ Issei was meanwhile thinking as they were all following the blonde woman, `where had he heard this name before?´

 **[Your memory is not exactly perfect, is it Partner?]** Ddraig said, **[Vlad of Wallachia, also known as Vlad the Impaler... also known as Dracula.]**

`Oh yes... him,´ Issei now remembered, the other man he had seen in his vision. `Moment, they have a guy called Vlad the Impaler as their public-relations expert?´

 **[I got the impression that your friend Darien wanted to mess with them a bit. After all they have basically blackmailed themselves in here. Have you not seen the smile on his face?]**

`Oh yes,´ Issei replied. `I admit I am getting a bit curious or maybe nervous how this will turn out.´

About a minute later they had arrived at a small forest area close to the building where the other Guardians had been waiting.

Right before them opened another portal, very similar to the one they themselves had used, and walking out came the same red dressed man with the crimson eyes Issei remembered.

"Ah I see our guests have arrived," the man greeted them all, "and as I have been told Darien asked me to talk to them."

"Yes master," the woman named Seras said. "May I introduce, my master Alucard, sometimes also simply called Vlad... also known as Dracula."

* * *

 **Author notes: With this chapter I have introduced the Fallen Angel officer Sartael, who will with Kokabiel himself, Crocel and of course Raiser, be the last greater antagonist in this arc.**

 **Also introduced were more members of the Guardians, for now however unnamed. This will wait for the next chapter. Most of them will be either known superheroes or mythological/historical figures... or both.**

 **Two who are already introduced by name are of course Alucard/Dracula and Seras Victoria from Hellsing.**


	10. Chapter 10: Devils and Guardians

**Chapter 10  
**

"Ah yes, I see," the being who was called Alucard... or Dracula... or by various other names... said. "Our new recruits have arrived... and since they had brought along new problems as well. So it is on me to `entertain´ them," he stated.

They all saw that the eyes of the woman introduced to them as Seras had turned into the same crimson red as her master´s and like with him they could see long sharp canines in her mouth.

Yes, Issei thought... Vampires, both of them. He could feel Asia grabbing his arm a bit harder than she already had before on their way here. While she had clearly seen many frightening things before, these two were still something new to her.

And in the other side of his eyes, he also saw the sharp glances of Raynare and Irina's that were sending in their direction as they watched Asia hanging on his arm.

"You are two of the Devil Kings of your world." Alucard turned to Sirzechs and Serafall. "And you also brought other's of your kind with you."

"That is right," Sirzechs answered.

"Now, let us begin," Alucard stated smugly. "You wanted to start negotiations between our groups. Isn´t that right?" he asked.

"We do," he replied.

"Good, then would you please answer my first question," he said while a nearly predatory grin was starting to form on his lips. "Why should I not simply... **kill you**?" he asked in a completely casual tone.

This was followed a just a short moment of silence, as everyone around registered what had just been said.

"What?... " Sirzechs exclaimed a second later. "Wait a minute. We are here to talk, not..."

"We are here to talk about possible relations between our people and you," Grayfia pointed out in his place.

"I know completely well why and **how** you came here," Alucard interrupted them. "You wormed your way into this meeting through blackmail and veiled threats. You were taking advantage of the fact that two of my comrades had a girl with them that needed help. **Why** should we even want to talk to you?"

"We Devils are one of the three Factions of the Supernatural world. We are one of its strongest races," she argued. "We could be a great help for each other."

To hers and Sirzechs shock however, the red dressed figure in front of them only started to laugh.

To their horror, they all saw how the ground around them suddenly began to turn into a black shadow-like substance, covering the entire area around them.

And to their even greater shock they saw Alucard's eyes growing out of the black mass and starring at them... eyes that had the same red color as the ones of the creature before them. It was a single horror-scenario they were trapped in.

 **[Calm down partner,]** Ddraig said to Issei who felt the urge to protect the others... even if he knew it would be useless. **[Nothing will happen to you and the others, trust me]** Ddraig told him. **[This here is surely just a test - or a warning in case of the Devils.]**

`How can you be so sure about that?´ Issei replied.

 **[I have some experience with such situations... and with people like him. Trust me. Besides that, do you really think a member of the group you have joined would just attack you for no reason?]**

"What you are... is **parasites** ," Alucard replied coldly. "You are living off from humanity, but have the gall to call yourself the superior race."

From one moment to the other and without a warning, the black substance that surrounded them had started to move... against them. Deep black spikes, tentacles and spears were forming themselves out of the shadows and leashing out toward them all. They were grabbing them, the tentacles circling around their feet and holding them in place, the spikes still pointed in their direction. A few of them, like Kiba or Koneko, were actually sinking into the ground, the black matter they were standing on starting to act like quicksand.

Raynare, who had until now been in her human `Yuuma Armano´ form, transformed back into her real self.

Kalawarner panicked and formed a light-spear, that was however instantly knocked out of her hand by a black tentacle.

Asia was now screaming in terror, but she was still somehow holding herself.

 **"Well, let us begin our little `game´, shall we?"** the Vampire in front of them stated. His voice now sounded different, louder, as if it wasn´t just coming from him but from everywhere around them. **"At the one side we have our little group of `volunteers´,"** he said, looking to Issei and the others. **"And here our `guests´ who have just `invited´ themselves along,"** he commented with a side-glance at Sirzechs, Rias and the other Devils.

 **"You say you want to talk to us? You think you have something to offer to us? Your Faction above all had been nothing but a thorn in our side for centuries in your reality. We call ourselves the Guardians because that is what we do, protecting the many universes from threats... external or internal. And you have truly done everything to make our job worse."**

As if to make a point, the spears that were growing out of the ground - the ones aimed at the Devil part of their group - were now growing a bit closer to their targets.

 **"You claim territory in the human world and simply state it is yours... not asking or even informing the people who already live there. You use your powers to manipulate everyone there whenever it is convenient. But that is not even the true problem.**

 **You paint a target on the places for your enemies. You are dragging countless outsiders into your conflicts without even telling them. While it is our purpose to protect all worlds including yours and secure the peace, you intentionally involve large areas in the human world into your Cold War."** While he said this, he wasn´t sounding angry or aggressive. No, he was talking in a casual and even friendly tone with them, the smile never leaving his face. As if all that he was accusing them of wasn´t even an important matter. He was mocking them. Behind the taunting facade however, there was cold steel.

Rias remembered how she heard the same accusation from the Fallen Angel Gaeriel. She could not even truly deny it. The logic was quite simple and devastating. Like Murayama had only been hurt because the Fallen Angel was targeting **them**. She admitted she felt bad about this. But she knew controlling territory in the human world was in the best interest of their race.

 **xxx**

Sirzechs on his part was starting to get actually nervous. As he had been talking the power of the creature had raised more and more and had now just surpassed his own. And it was possible that he was still holding back.

He began to ask himself if they had walked right into a trap. He now remembered the smile of the man who had send them here.

The entire peerage of his sister and their allies had been immobilized, with one move. They came here in hope of a peaceful contact and maybe, in the best case, a valuable agreement for both sides.

But now they seemed to be right in the middle of a outbreaking fight. He regretted ever coming here. It had been an impulsive and foolish decision, especially with the methods they had used. But as they heard that they had the chance to make contact with a Faction from outside their world, they just couldn´t help themselves.

Only he, Grayfia and Serafall were still free. But that didn´t mean that the shadow mass wasn´t bothering them. They were just far too strong to be overcome by it so easily. Grayfia had frozen the ground around her and was using the ice to keep the black substance away.

There were only three reasons they had not already tried to strike back. They had come here with the intention to talk, not fight... and they had absolutely no idea how powerful this being was. And most important one of all, they were all in another world and if they made an enemy out of the organization who controlled the place, they would most likely be trapped here.

 **"To boost your own numbers and to use their abilities for yourself, you turn humans and other creatures into your kind,"** Alucard continued, **"all too often without even asking them first - your own sister is a prime example of this,"** he commented. The creature sends Rias a look that made her insides turn to ice.

 **"And then you have the nerve to act as if the people you have turned just for your own benefit owe you loyalty in return. And if some of them rebel against you and break away, you call them Stray Devils - hunt them down and kill them, calling them monsters and a threat to humans and Devils alike... conveniently ignoring that they only became like that because of you."** There was still no trace of anger or unrest in his voice. He was speaking like he was talking about the weather. And somehow this made his hostile words even more frightening.

"That... that is the way of our law," Sirzechs replied.

 **"Devil's Law?"** he asked sarcastically. **"Don´t make me laugh. Laws that you have created just to serve your own purposes you mean? Do you think you are the first group of wannabe-conquerors who just walk in, with friendly words on their lips and thin justifications, take everything they want and act as if they have a right to be there?**

 **I raised up entire forests out of their impaled bodies in my old homeland. I have hunted down supernatural trash like you for sport a few centuries later. Now - do you want a little demonstration of my old hobby."** He grinned... and the pikes that were pointed at them all were moving even closer.

Sirzech's knew he didn´t have a choice anymore. It was clear that the Vampire was not open to reason.

So he did what he would have usually done far earlier - he attacked, using his Power of Destruction against this opponent who was threatening his family. The energy he fired at him would was concentrated on a small place, but would have been strong enough to wipe out a city.

Sirzechs saw that the body of the Vampire was completely disintegrated. The black substance all around them however was still there.

He could only hope that he had done the right thing. If the rest of the Guardians considered them their enemies now, they might never be able to return from this world. But he had been threatening to kill them all, he reasoned. With the others backing them up, there was a good chance that they would accept their explanation... But he never came to end this thought.

A loud laughing was suddenly heard from everywhere around them. It was Alucard´s voice.

Sirzechs and the others froze as they looked around them. They could barely believe it. Suddenly five Alucards were standing at different places around them. All of them looking identical to the one he had just `seemingly´ destroyed.

 **"You think it is that easy?"** the five incarnations said at the same time. **"You think you can just force your way in here with blackmail and underhanded tactics and we will just have to talk to you because in your small part of the universe you seem to be someone important? You think you are powerful beings, a force that should be respected by everyone?**

 **You are sitting on top of a system build up on corruption. You consider yourself `good people´ - because you treat your slaves somewhat better than some of your demented peers. But you let all kinds of abuse, mistreatment, murder and manipulation flourish right next to you.**

 **You are nothing but cancer that has befallen the human race... and I seriously consider a radical treatment,"** one of the Alucard´s said.

The Devils realized that his power had indeed grown once again. It outshone everyone here by far.

Even Ddraig admitted that his own full strength did not even really compare. Whatever Alucard had once been, he was no longer simply a Vampire or human, he had evolved into something more... a higher being. His power seemed practically endless. Reality itself seemed to be breaking under it.

For a short moment the Alucard´s eyes switched from their blood red to a pinkish color.

Now it was on Sirzechs and his fellow Maou to panic. They just began to realize how badly they had misjudged the situation. He tried to use his powers again, only to find out that he couldn´t activate them. One look at Grayfia and Serafall told him that they were in a similar situation.

 **"Time space and... reality follows my commands,"** Alucard informed them simply. **"Mind over matter you could say. I decided that you shouldn´t have your powers, so they don´t exist right now. Tell me, how is it to be helpless?"**

He made a gesture and both Sirzechs, Grayfia and Serafall felt a invisible force constricting around their bodies. They could no longer move, they couldn't breath and it was forcing them to their knees.

Then he released the hold on them a little.

Some of the others - specifically the Fallen Angels and the two Exorcists - were actually feeling some grim satisfaction to see not only one but two Maous beaten and humiliated like that. But at the same time they were of course terrified. If this being could do that so easily, what chance did **they** have?

 **"A magical girl Devil,"** Alucard remarked drily with a look at Serafall, **"now I have truly seen everything."**

"I surrender," she said simply and with a grin. "I have a sister that I need to take care of. Please don´t hurt me," she asked him with a `cute´ voice.

 **"If you say so,"** he replied, returning the smirk on her face. He could read the thought of even a Maou like a book. He knew perfectly well what this `taking care of her sister´ looked like. He admitted this particular Devil actually amused him.

 **"And what do we have here?"** he said sarcastically, turning to Raynare, whose feet were shackled to the ground by two black slings. **"A `little girl´, claiming to be a `mighty´ Fallen Angel, who was so desperate to be loved and appreciated that she was willing to turn into a murderer."**

"You are right," she answered surprising some people around and letting her head sank down a bit. "That is exactly what I am," she admitted. A few days ago she would have had a fit if someone talked about her like this. But after all what happened during the last days, she had to say, Alucard´s description of her failures was exactly correct.

 **"Good,"** he replied grinning, **"admitting your shortcomings is the first step to grow. And your two comrades."** He looked at Dohnaseek and Kalawarner. **"Two low level soldiers whose only concern was to rise in rank and who didn´t care who they had to hurt for it. Who now realized they had been betrayed by one of their leaders. The only reason they are even here is that you have saved them and dragged them here. Do you truly think these two are fit to be new recruits?"**

The two Fallen Angels didn´t say anything.

"If I can learn my lesson, I am sure they can as well," Raynare replied.

 **"We will see,"** Alucard said. **"And here we have two Exorcists, all full of glorious and self-righteous ideals,"** he addressed Xenovia and Irina. **"Yes, I remember the fights I had with your kind back in the days. And a little Nun, who is only here because she wanted to have friends,"** he said to Asia. **"Do you all still think you are fit to join us or do you rather want to go home, now that you know what you are dealing with?"** he asked them mockingly. **  
**

"Leave them alone," Issei called out.

 **"Ah, Issei Hyoudou, always willing to stand up for his friends. Even if there is no greater thing for him than the next pair of breasts. But let me tell you this, if you truly want to be one of us, you will have to do more than just that. You will have to fight and risk your life for people you don´t know, even for people you despise. Are you willing to do that?"**

"Yes," Issei answered seriously, "I am."

Alucard let his eyes gliding from one of them to the other now.

 **"Good.** Then you have all passed the first trial," he said, his voice returning to normal.

The black substance around them began to resolve and set them free.

"So Ddraig was right, this all **was** just a test," Issei stated as he registered what he just heard.

"This little demonstration had two purposes." They heard another voice. It was Darien who had just appeared right behind them. "The first was to test the resolve of our new recruits... and show them what kind of opponents they might be facing in the future," he informed them. "The other was to teach our uninvited guests a lesson about their methods to ask for a meeting," he said in the direction of Sirzechs and the others who had just been standing up again.

"I thought you are taking care of Murayama?" Issei asked him.

"I am. This body here is just a psychic construct," Darien responded. "My true self is inside with your friend."

They others were starring from him to Alucard and back. This `psychic construct´ as he called it was now easily radiating more power than a twelve winged Angel or a Maou... and if that was not even his true body, than... what kind of being where they dealing with?

"I welcome you all here in the headquarter of the Caerleon Organization, also called the Ashema Group. Or as we are more commonly known... the Guardians," he told them. "I have taken a look at your friend Issei and so far everything seems alright with her."

"Thank you," he said.

"And now to you," Darien turned to Sirzechs, Serafall and the other Devils. "As I see Alucard has `explained´ to you the reasons why an alliance between our groups will not work out. Unless of course there will be some drastical changes in your policies," he stated.

"I see," Sirzechs who was just getting back a hold on himself replied matter of factly. "I admit that the ways we have forced this meeting were not acceptable. We apologize," he said, looking at Serafall.

Darien, Alucard and Seras exchanged a look as well at that statement. Was the apology sincere? Or were they just saying it because they were outmatched? They could of course read their minds to find out. But what difference would that even make?

"Yes, we have come to an `understanding´," Alucard remarked drily.

A few of the Devils were giving him angry or nervous glances.

"An political alliance is not possible, at least as long as things are like they are," Darien stated. "Our interests are just too different. There is however one thing we are willing to do. We are willing to provide your sister and her peerage with training."

"You are?" Sirzechs asked a bit surprised.

"Yes, but don´t misunderstand me. We are not doing this as a favor to you or even as a way to establish some kind of relation, even if that might be a side-effect. We just don´t want a bound between the Gremory and Phenex families. Your Faction is trouble enough for us like it is. We don´t need the Phenex Clan get involved into Maou business as well. That had been our only interest from the beginning."

"What?" Rias called out and send a hard glance at Gaeriel, who just shrugged with the shoulders and gave her an innocent smile. She just realized that the Fallen Angel had been playing her from the start. The `help´ against Raiser she had offered her was not in exchange for her peerage´s help in securing and guarding Freed Selzen, it was in her own damned self interest.

"I see you know a few things about the politics of our race," Sirzechs replied now sternly.

"Of course. If we are to protect a universe, we have to know what is going on in it," Darien stated. "Of course we could also wage war against your race and just subjugate you. But this is not the way we do things. And besides that, I think that would be a quite boring afternoon," he commented with a bit of taunt.

A few of the Devils looked offended about the implication that their race were weaklings. But after they had seen what Alucard alone was capable of, they could not really deny the truth of the statement.

Issei admitted this was a side from Darien he had not seen before. So far he had ever been either polite and mild-mannered or a practically invincible super-entity. This snarky side was truly something new.

"Your sister and her peerage can stay here. Of course we won´t teach them any powers or fighting techniques that are unknown in your reality. Nothing that could give you an advantage over your enemies and upset the balance of power. I am sure Serafall´s sister Sona will be able to come up with something to explain the absence of all of them. But as soon as they do something suspicious, they will leave. If they manage to win our trust in the time they are here, we **might** talk about it more. Is that acceptable?"

Nobody had told him about Sona. He showed once again how easily he could read their thoughts if he wanted.

"It is," Sirzech answered finally. "If you agree Rias... " he asked his sister.

It wasn´t what they wanted. But at least it was something. A part of him was unsure about leaving Ria-tan with these people. But if they wanted to harm them, they could have easily done that whenever they wanted. They had made so much clear.

If only a single one of their members was that powerful as Alucard had shown, then what about the entire organization? If they made these people their enemies, they were lost. If that was the lesson they had wanted to teach them, they had surely learned it.

The first little `test´ Alucard had passed on them all was over. It had accomplished both of its objectives in a very brutal matter.

"Are you okay Asia?" Issei asked her.

"Yes, it is okay," she said. "It is just... we are here to train. But I... I never wanted to fight... and I don´t know if I can."

"This is not so important. Your training will be first line consist of better use of your healing abilities. You are here under our protection, not as one of our members and you don´t have to perform any combat training if you don´t want to... unless of course you decide that you want to join us," Darien informed her. "I will leave now and return my `full attention´ to my new charge you have brought me." With this words his secondary body simply vanished.

 **xxx**

Gaeriel had heard the short exchange as well. She could only look at Asia, who seemed quite content so far. The confrontation with Alucard had scared and shocked her of course. Still she had not completely panicked... good. Maybe she was actually able to stay with them, as part of their team.

Gaeriel remembered the true reason she asked Darien to put Asia under the Guardian´s protection. She remembered hearing about the life this girl had led... and how much of it was ultimately her fault.

Her dark secret... one of them at least. That was also the reason she wanted to prevent Raynare from making the same mistake she once did.

Even if none of the others were aware of it... even if none of the other would ever **find out**... she knew she had a lot to make up to this girl.

 **xxx**

Alucard was just looking after the two Maou and Grayfia who were just leaving their dimension again.

 _"I feel your doubts old friend."_ He heard Darien´s voice in his head.

`Do you really think this will make an impact?´ he asked.

 _"Your little `demonstration´ had at least given them a warning... in more sense than one. They needed to know what they might be dealing with some day. A single one of the Lords could easily turn their world to ash... if they ever truly turned their attention to it._

 _We might not like the Devils, but that doesn´t mean we don´t care if they all die."_

`Speak only for yourself,´ Alucard replied with a smirk.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Somewhere inside the building_

She was slowly waking up. She remembered... Issei, Fallen Angels, Devils, things that just couldn´t be... the fight she had watched. She remembered being taken hostage, the sudden pain and then...

As Murayama opened her eyes and looked around, she realized that she was lying in a room she had never seen before.

"I see you are awake," she heard a voice. She saw that it was a young brown haired man who was sitting in a chair close to her. He was wearing some strange and futuristic looking body armor.

"Where am I? Who are...?"

"Your classmate Issei has brought you here... after you have been hurt," the man answered. His voice sounded friendly, consoling even. It actually helped her to calm down a bit.

"You are in the headquarter of our organization," he explained. "You can call us the Guardians. The name I am currently going by is Darien."

Headquarter? Guardians? Issei brought her here? she thought, not really understanding anything. The things she remembered were a dream, right? They couldn´t be real.

"No, you're wrong," the man said to her. "What you remember did indeed happen. You followed Issei and got caught in a fight between his group and an enemy."

How? she asked herself. How did he know what she had just thought?

"You can say I am, to put it simply, reading your mind," Darien told her. "It will not be easy for you to accept this, but you died in the fight."

Murayama remembered, the pain, the strange glowing weapon sticking out of her chest. Issei kneeling over her... no. She crinched.

"Issei had used a special technique of our group to bring you back... just like I did it with him not so long ago." As he said this, he made a slight gesture with his head toward a table at the other side of the room, where a cup of water was standing.

She saw in disbelief how the cup was lifted off into the air and flying through the room towards them... and landed on the nightstand right next to her.

"As you see there are many things around here that might... shock you," Darien explained. "Issei has brought you back. But sadly he hadn´t really mastered this technique, so we were keeping an eye on you. You live again. But you are different from before."

"Different...?" she asked.

"Issei wanted to help you. But he couldn´t fully control the technique and didn´t know the side-effects. Murayama..." ... he adressed her by her name and then said the things she could hardly believe... "you will no longer age. Your body will be able to recover from most injuries and regenerate itself. And it is also likely that you will also develop other `abilities´."

She wasn´t sure how to feel about this... or even how to take what she had just heard.

"O-other abilities," she repeated insecure. "What other abilities?"

"This is a bit hard to predict... even with my powers," Darien replied. "It depends on how the energy Issei transferred into you develops and how your body will react to it. A form of telepathy is very likely, maybe over time telekinesis like you have it just seen from me. Some forms of magic are also a possibility. But we need to wait and see. It is to a great part depending on sheer chance and that it something even I can't foresee."

Murayama wasn´t quite sure how to swallow this.

"We will keep an eye on you for the next few days. Should any side-effects of your metamorphosis appear, we have way to react to it. I promise you, we will let nothing happen to you," he told her reassuring.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Outside, a short time later_

Their combined group was wandering over the wide area around the building.

"So you see," the girl named Seras explained to them, "my master had once hold off an army without lifting a single weapon. He instead had the impaled bodies of 20.000 enemies placed in their way. As the commander of the invading army saw this, he was so horrified that he turned back."

A few of them who had heard it shuddered from this story. Some of them had actually heard it before.

"Nice," Raynare commented. "So Issei-kun, whenever you complain about how bad I am, I will just remind you of this story and that there are people much worse than me."

"I know," he replied emotionless. He had actually seen many of them just in the last few days, he thought.

"Does that mean you will forgive me then?" she asked him in a bit of a sweet tone, her voice basically a mixture of `Yuuma´ and the `regular´ Raynare.

Issei didn´t answer. A part of him wanted to. But as soon as he thought back about it, he suddenly felt a pain in his chest, exactly at the place where her light-spear had pierced him.

 **xxx**

Raynare on her part caught herself starring at Issei and at Asia who was still walking right next to him, as she felt the same feeling coming up in her as several times before, jealousy. She remembered their date. How he had practically showered her with affection. How he would have done practically everything to make her feel happy - even if he by far not always succeeded.

But since he was `only a human´, she had considered him too far below her notice to even take him serious.

 **Now** she wanted to have all that back. Stupid arrogant bitch, she said to herself.

That he was a complete pervert didn´t even disturb her much. After all she was far from a saint herself - quite an ironic thing for an Angel to say, she thought.

Physically he was still not that impressive. He wasn´t bad looking, but a bit scrawny and not really imposing from his stature. Well, maybe this might actually change with the kind of training they were going through. But now that she had seen what he can do... who he could be... only with the right motivation. First him coming back from the dead, then fighting and defeating Kalawarner and then challenging herself, all that... for **Asia** , she thought with some scorn. This was not the puny human she had seen in the beginning. No, this was a hero.

To think that she would actually be starting to fall for a guy she had already killed, so ironic and stupid.

She knew she had only herself to thank for that. If she had not been so ready to - as the humans say it, `jump the gun´ - and kill him over a mere suspicion, it would still be her he would be doting over. Now he could barely look at her without pain. She knew she also couldn´t even blame Asia, even when there were times she wanted to strangle the little Nun.

She couldn´t help herself, she admitted a part of her was afraid - no terrified. Issei did have feelings for her, maybe even loved her despite what she had done, she was sure about that. But... there was Asia, the `living embodiment´, she thought sarcastically, of innocence... and the Exorcist girl, his childhood friend after all. When it came down to it, why in the world would he choose her? His killer... a cynical coldhearted bitch.

Of course there was an alternative. Why not? she thought. `When it came down to it´, she would rather share than loose... and like she said, the chances were not exactly for her tastes. So she would probably help to make Issei´s dream of a harem come true.

 **xxx**

"Yes Master Alucard used to be kind of a bad guy," Seras said to them with a somewhat shy smile.

"Oh yes, while he is a true ray of sunshine **now** ," Rias remarked grimly, thinking back to their confrontation with a shudder. While her brother, Grayfia and Serafall had returned to their world, she and her servants had accepted the other to stay for the time being.

"If he is that powerful," Issei asked, "how did Van Hellsing ever been able to beat him anyway?" Issei asked.

"Quite simple," it was Alucard himself who answered him, who had so far only been walking next to them and listening to their conversation in slight amusement. "For one I was back then not nearly as powerful as I am now. But it was still more than enough. No, the true reason is that Abraham was simply much more than an old englishman with a woodenstick."

"The truth is, Abraham Van Hellsing was a member of the Guardians," they heard another voice. It was the old man who had been with Darien earlier. "Even if he, in opposite to many others, never accepted immortality. He instead handed down the duty to his descendants.

The roots of our organization reach back thousands of years," the old man stated. "Of course it didn´t always have the same name. It had been involved with Arthur´s Camelot, it is closely connected to both the Vatican and the Protestant Churches of this reality... and existed even long before that."

"Our current headquarter is close to where the center of the Hellsing Organization had once been standing, that Master Alucard and me have been working for in the 20th Century... as, well, monster-hunters. It had been founded by the british crown to fight supernatural threats," Seras explained. "Actually it had been a sub-organization of the Guardians. But very few people knew that."

"Even after 700 years you still talk too much... `policegirl´," Alucard interrupted her.

"If you want to get an idea, look," the old man told them and pointed to the place before them.

Right now they were standing in front of a part of the estate that they all easily recognized as a large graveyard.

"This place serves as a memorial for the members who had been lost during the long war. In some cases, their actual remains are lying here. In other's the markers are just symbolic," the old man explained. "This area is permanently cut off from the outside world. The space itself is particular shifted into another dimension, so that a normal person could not stumble upon it by accident."

They were taking looks at the different gravestones.

"Abraham Van Hellsing." It was the scripture on one of them that Issei was reading loud. "Herakles," he continued to read. "Thor of Asgard."

Something, a nearly unreadable expression, seemed to flinch over the face of the old man for a short moment. But then it was gone.

"Sir Lancelot of the Lake." They heard Irina reading in fascination.

"People like that were part of the Guardians?" Issei asked.

"Yes they were." They heard Darien´s voice. As they turned around they saw that he and Murayama had appeared right behind them.

"Hyoudou-kun," Murayama addressed him, "I was told that you have saved my life."

She seemed a bit different from like she usually was... more timid. Murayama was a fighter, an outspoken confident girl. But with all she was suddenly confronted with, it was no wonder. At the horizon behind them she could see the buildings of an futuristic city, the London of the 28. Century of `this´ Earth, as she had been told. She and the man named Darien had just **teleported**. Was it a wonder that it was all a bit hard to take in?

"Yes," Issei replied, " but as it looks, I didn´t exactly do it right. Sorry about that."

"Don´t say something like that. Without you I would be dead. Besides that, it was my own fault for following you like that. I should be sorry."

"Don´t mention it," he replied a bit surprised about Murayama´s reaction. "By the way. Darien," he turned towards him. "You have never really mentioned one thing. If people like this were your allies, who exactly are you fighting against?" Issei asked.

"Ultimately, the greatest foe our order was formed to stand against the so called Great Darkness, a force often also called Ahriman... and it´s followers. It is... " he halted for a moment.

"Raynare," he turned to her and the other Fallen Angels, "tell me, are you and your comrades feeling any different since you are here?"

"Now that you mention it," she said, "yes. It feels somehow... I don´t know, different. And I also think I have access to more energy than before for some reason."

"You are right," Dohnaseek mentioned. "Somehow our energy is different."

"That is no wonder," Darien replied. "You are Angels in the end, Fallen or not. And there is a difference between your universe and ours. This here is what we call a mainline universe."

"What exactly does that mean?" Issei wanted to know.

"Like I have told you, the true God is a universial force - the creator of the entire multiverse. The God from your reality was a small part of himself that he had separated into a new form to watch over your world... and as this incarnation `died´ during your Great War, it merged once again with the greater whole.

In some other realities however, like this one, Gods true self had decided to watch over them directly. That is what these three are feeling. His presence is in every fiber of this reality. The Darkness is, if you want to call it that, the counterforce of God himself. Or like some people see it, his dark side. Like God is the Force of Creation and Life, it is the Force of Destruction. Like him it is omnipresent... in every universe.

A long time ago however, the Darkness had chosen heralds, the beings that we usually call the `Lords´ today and these heralds had chosen servants of their own, entire armies. This is how the organization that is calling itself the Aka Maha or the Dark Order came to be. Like us they are active in countless worlds and realities. They are our direct enemy. Our organization was created to counter **them**. But I will explain more about them later.

For now. It is time for you to begin your training. Some of you will first face a few more tests. Seras will explain everything to you. If you excuse me. There are other matters me and Alucard have to attend to."

With these words both of them vanished. In opposite to the supernaturals from their world, a few of them noticed, they didn´t need a magical circle or another help. They just disappeared.

"You know," Xenovia said now, "for the fact that such famous people had been part of their organization, I am surprised that I have never heard of him. I mean, he is your leader, isn´t he?"

"What makes you think that you haven´t?" Seras stated. "Of course not under this name. Many have been calling ourselves different over the centuries. He is the head of our Order, while my master Alucard for example is one of the other leaders. A long time ago though, he was known under a different name... Galahad."

"The Knight of the Round Table who had found the Holy Grail?" Xenovia asked surprised.

"Exactly."

"Wait a minute, in the legends, wasn´t Galahad...?" Irina asked.

A few of them, like Ris, Akeno and Raynare realized it as well. They looked at the gravestone Darien had paid attention to earlier. The one with the name of the legendary Sir Lancelot. It was in fact the marker in honor of his father.

"But if he was originally a human knight, how did he became... whatever he is now?" Irina wanted to know.

"He, just like his father Lancelot and King Arthur himself and some other knights... just like their enemy Mordred, were actually born with the power of sorcerers and had trained it over the time." It was the old man who explained this. "They were all trained by the Druids of Avalon... some even by Merlin himself."

"What few people know, in **our** universe, as Arthur and Mordred slayed each other in the final battle, Mordred had already reached immortality. He had pledged himself to the Darkness and become one of it´s followers. And as Galahad finally found the Grail, he and Mordred founght about it. In the end both won... or neither, depending how you see it."

"Don´t tell me?" Xenovia called out.

"Yes, the power of the Holy Grail was absorbed by both of them," Seras stated. "But this wasn´t even everything. Over the centuries both of them grew stronger and stronger, beyond humanity or what you would call gods."

"What became of Mordred?" Irina wanted to know.

"He is still around. He is now one of our most dangerous enemies... one of the `Lords´. At the last state, I think he is currently calling himself Faust by what I have heard.

Now then," Seras said to them, "I think we have spent enough time here. For today we still have another challenge for you. We have a special training area that you will pass. We call it the Labyrinth."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Back in their own reality - The Underworld_

The blonde young girl was wandering through the wide parks that were part of the land that belonged to her family´s estate.

The girl was a pureblooded Devil. Her name was Ravel Phenex... the younger sister of Raiser and the other child of the Phenex family.

Close behind her were two others. Both were members of the peerage of her father... and currently more or less serving as her bodyguards. Not that it was likely that anybody would attack them, here right in the middle of the Devil controlled Underworld.

But you could never be careful enough. Someone might still try something... and that was exactly what happened.

The two guards tensed a bit as they saw an unknown man appearing before them.

They realized after a moment that it was another Devil as they felt his aura and he spread his wings. They relaxed only a little bit. That he was a member of their race didn´t necessarily meant that he was on their side.

"Who are you? This is the territory of the House of Phenex," one of them said.

But the stranger didn´t answer. Instead he made a gesture... and a large wound was ripped into one of the Devil´s bodies as the blood shot outside.

"Weak," the stranger in front of them simply commented.

The other Devil saw in shock how the blood of his partner, that was flowing through the air, became solid and formed a spear that was directed at him. And at the same time he realized that he couldn't move from his place. He used his energy to shield himself and the makeshift weapon didn´t cause any real damage.

But while he stopped the attack, the enemy in front of him made another. Suddenly he changed... his one pair of Devil wings disappeared and was replaced by two of a Fallen Angel.

The Devil guard had no time to be surprised or wonder, since he was stepped by two light-spears a moment later.

That left only the girl.

Ravel admitted, she was terrified. In opposite to most other pureblood Devils she didn´t have her own peerage, but was part of her brother Raiser´s, his bishop to be precise. As such she had faced many dangerous opponents, in Rating Games.

But this was different... it was bloody reality... and just like the guard, she was unable to move a limb.

"Your family should have found better bodyguards, Ravel Phenex," the man said to her, before he wrapped one of his arms around her body, still keeping her paralyzed.

He waited for a short time more. He knew that the rest of the Devils close by would have sensed his presence.

Like he had expected, three more servants of the Phenex Clan teleported in less than a minute later... and saw their young lady being held hostage by a Fallen Angel.

Before they could actually say or do something however, a magic circle appeared beneath Crocel´s feet and both he and his prisoner vanished before their eyes.

 **xxxxxxx**

As they reappeared, they were no longer in the Underworld but on Earth, standing in front of a large very derelict looking castle. It´s appearance could only be described as sinister, like it was ripped out of a horror-movie.

As he stepped through the gate, dragging the helpless Ravel along with him, they were greeted by a group of people.

"I see you are back Crocel," Kokabiel greeted him friendly, "and you have actually succeeded with your little suggestion," he said, looking at Ravel, who was now more than terrified.

She of course knew who he was. Every Devil of her position would be informed about the leaders of the Grigori.

The rest of the group before them were Kokabiel´s right hand Sartael, along with another Fallen Angel whose name she didn´t know. The last member of the group was the human Valper Galilei, once known as the Genocide Bishop.

This place here served not only as Kokabiel´s secret base, but in first line also for Valper as a location where he could continue his experiments away from the eyes of the world. Down in the yard he saw a couple of the humans that were here as `raw material´ being brought inside by another Fallen.

"It was actually quite easy," he replied. "They didn´t expect anyone to try something like this."

"Still, kidnapping a High Class Devil right out of the Underworld," Sartael commented, "impressive."

"And we are of course also thankful for the information you gave us about this organization called the Guardians," Kokabiel added. "With that and this new tool you have given us for our goals, your role in the coming new order will be secured."

They didn´t know anything about his Devil wings, the man named Alyk Crocel knew, to them he was simply one of their kind, instead of a hybrid. Being able to take the appearance of both races like he wanted, he was able to move freely in Devil and Fallen Angel controlled territory.

"She's the youngest child of the Phenex Clan, that will play a role in the coming events with their planned alliance with the Gremory," Crocel pointed out. "I have made sure that the other Devils saw me before I left with her."

"Very good," Kokabiel responded. "Yes, Ravel, that was your name, wasn´t it?" he addressed her with fake friendliness. "You will be very usefull for us."

* * *

 **Author notes: Guardians vs Devils. As explained the reason for the animosity the Guardians have for the Devils in particular is that, while all sides share responsibility for the conflict between them, it are the Devils who are getting large numbers of humans and part of the Earth involved in it by claiming human towns for themselves.** **Beside that is there the issue with the Devil servants who are essentially slaves and with a percentage of them turning into Strays and going amok on both human and Devil populations.**

 **If you were an organization those main purpose is the protection of the world and of the peace, would you be particular happy about this?**

 **xxx**

 **Alucard is in a similar state as at the end of the manga, where he had gained the power to some level manipulate reality + 700 years of more experience... in that he had grown into a entity similar to Darien. (more explanations to that in the next chapters.)  
**

 **xxx**

 **Of the alternative names for the Guardians, the first one, Caerleon, is a hint to the connection to Arthur and Camelot and the second is a term from the Persian Zoroastrian religion and means losely as much as `immortality´.**

 **Some of the names I have given their enemies also come partly from Persian Mythology. The term Aka Maha, that is in the mythology actually the name of a demon, had I already used in the Xena/Hercules stories (Light in the Darkness) for a similar group of immortal enemies. Like I said in the beginning, I am reusing a few concepts from older stories.**

 **The name of the ultimate force behind the Guardian´s enemies is also particular based of this. The idea of the Great Darkness or Ahriman is basically a mixture of the Great Evil Beast from DC comics, my conception of Dahak from my Xena/Hercules stories and other sources.**


	11. Chapter 11: Omnipotence Lesson One

**Chapter 11  
**

 _The world of the Guardians_

They were on their way to the mysterious training area that was called `the labyrinth´.

Before that however the Vampire Seras had given them a tour over the entire area. A few minutes ago they came across a large place where a half dozen... spaceships - yes, that was quite obviously what they were - were standing in line. A few of them were very similar to the machine that had been flying over them a short time ago.

As Seras had explained to them, it was the main space-port of the organization. While their main `device´ for travel were the interdimensional portals, a part of their transportation was still being done over `simple´ vehicles. That, in this century, included space-ships.

It was kind of ironic, Issei grinned, most of their group were supernatural beings, Fallen Angels, Devils, Sacred Gear users. But they were in awe at something like an actual space-port. If he had imagined that he would see Raynare and Rias Gremory, a Fallen Angel and a Devil, standing side by side, starring with open mouth at something Seras had called a `Interstellar Light Cruiser´.

The one most freaked out under them however had to be Murayama. In opposite to the rest of them she did not have the chance yet to get used to the idea that she was actually in another world... and also in the far future.

 **xxx**

In the moment they were being led to one of one of the wings of the wide estate. The building itself was designed in a very classical style and would just as easily fit into the 19. or 20th. Century, as in the far future.

"Is the place where we are going underground?" Xenovia questioned.

"That is right," Seras answered.

"And you were a cop once?" Raynare asked her, remembering something that Alucard had said. "I am surprised. You seem more like the innocent bubbly type like Asia here," she commented, looking at the small Ex-Nun, who reacted with a blush.

"Oh, you have noticed? And I have spent centuries trying to become more intimidating. As a Vampire I have to keep up a reputation after all." She smirked.

"What happened then?" Irina asked, "I mean how did you become a...?" a Vampire. That was not a question you get asked every day.

Seras told them the story how she had once been a policewoman in London in the 20. Century, until her entire squad had been wiped out by a Vampire who had then been killed by her future-master.

As she ended her tale, they were just entering the building and arrived inside a great hall.

"What in the world is this?" Issei called out as he saw what the insides of the large room.

The hall in front of them was filled to the brink with countless weapons, artifacts and various other mythical and historical objects. There were swords, axes, shields, riffles, magical devices, even a few lines of books and ancient looking scrolls assembled at one corner of the room.

"I don´t believe it," Raynare said stunned as she saw the sheer amount of magical weaponry and... power that was placed here.

"With the kind of arsenal that is lying around in this room you could easily outfit an army to start the next Great War," Kalawarner commented.

"What you see here is, as you could call it, the `weapon chamber´ of the Guardians," the old man who had joined them a short time earlier explained. "It are of course not only weapons, but also all sorts of other magical objects. All that collected over the course of thousands of years," he stated.

"Since we are joining you, at least temporally, will we get some of these?" Xenovia asked.

"The ones under you who have joined our Order will probably be given a weapon or maybe something else that could be useful to them," he replied.

Rias and her peerage were also looking at all of it in awe. But since they knew of the Guardians view of them, they didn't really expect to be allowed to take anything out of this arsenal.

They were being led straight through the room, to another large door that was at the other end.

 **xxx**

When they had arrived at the other side of the hall, Kiba was suddenly starring at something, one place at the wall... where one of the many weapons was hanging. His expression was one of anger.

The others recognized what he was looking at, it was nothing else than the swords Excalibur. The blade was broken into three pieces that were mounted at a central place between the other weapons.

"Excalibur?" Irina called out. "But it´s remains were forged into new weapons," she said, thinking about the blade she herself was carrying, one of the `Seven Excaliburs´.

"Not the one of this universe," Seras replied.

"Are you alright?" Xenovia asked Kiba who was standing beside her. She wasn´t even sure why she showed worry about a Devil, but something about the expression he showed for a moment had unsettled her.

"Yes," he answered simply. "It isn´t the same sword... not the one that did it to me..." he murmured strangely.

Xenovia and Irina had no idea what he meant. The other members of the Gremory peerage however had a knowing look in their eyes. They knew having Kiba close to the sword Excalibur, even if it was not the same one, was not a good combination. It was actually a good thing that neither of the two Exorcists had their swords drawn since the confrontation with Alucard a short time ago, since both were `Excalibur fragments´.

 **xxx**

"This here is the entrance of the labyrinth," he said to them. "The ones under you who are new recruits may enter. You will go in together, but inside you will all go your different ways. Each of you will face tests and will meet a member of our Order who will be your teacher for the coming weeks."

"You are **absolutely right** ," the heard a loud voice coming from behind them.

"What the fuck?" Issei called out as he realized someone had suddenly appeared right behind him out of thin air. To that came that the person had bowed slightly over his shoulder and literally been shouting into his ear.

"Darien," he said as he recognized the man, who was only giving him a sly grin. "... Or should I call you Galahad now? And since when are **you** of all people playing pranks like this?" he asked him. He could barely believe that the super entity in form of a man had just acted like a schoolboy playing a joke.

Issei saw that some of the others could also barely hold back the grins on their faces.

"Darien is fine. It is one of the names I have adopted several centuries ago. And to answer your question, I saw you standing there and it was just a good opportunity. You know sometime you have just to do something to keep you grounded, a joke, a task... helping someone, doing something a `normal´ person would do."

"Yes, by the way, I never came to thank you," Murayama addressed him. "You have taken care of me after Hyoudou-kun had brought me here after all."

"Don´t mention it," he replied. "As I said, you were also doing me a favor as well. Helping you was such a task that I spoke of. The reason is... Well, Murayama, why don´t you try to read my thoughts?" he asked her.

"What? but..." she wanted to say - but then the `thoughts´ were already appearing in her own mind. "It helps to keep you normal," she said in surprise.

"It keeps us human, you could say," Darien responded. "You should understand, some of our members have developed a level of power that can barely be conceived by regular people," he explained.

"Like you," Issei pointed out.

"Yes," he replied tonelessly. "But it is not only power. It is a fundamental change in the way of who we are. In general, every creature, even the very powerful ones, are subject to the laws of reality and nature. At a certain point however, this changes. It is the border between what you could call a person with supernatural power and a Cosmic Entity. Instead of being subjugated to the laws of reality, such beings can control these laws and rewrite them at will.

They are just as much `a person´, as they are manifestations and incarnations of certain forces or better aspects of the universe. The being you know as Ophis for example embodies the Infinity of space, Great Red stands for the thoughts and dreams of the life of your reality. There are also others, in many universes, life, death, chaos, some of the various gods. In most cases, such creatures are born by the cosmos itself in one way or the other. They come into existence as cosmic entities and in most cases they don´t change much over the eons. They are born all powerful by any regular definition and have no reason to. Ophis, Great Red, Ddraig, Albion, your version of God, every single one of them would be able to wipe out multiple words or even entire star systems.

Sometimes however, in a few cases it happens that an originally `regular´ or even mortal being manages to evolve into a Cosmic Entity. Some of the older members of our Order **and** also of our enemy have crossed this border."

"This explains beings like you in charge here," Rias Gremory commented. She and some of the others were still trying to wrap their minds around the idea that the super being in front of them had once been born as just a human.

He nodded.

"Of course not all of us had reached this level individually. We have been working together, exchanging knowledge and power. And having the original version of God at our back also doesn´t hurt either," he remarked. "Still it has taken us centuries. Myself and Alucard for example had begun to completely transcend our physical existence around the end of the 20th. and the beginning of the 21st century in our world... and we started to become what we are now," he explained.

"In many cases an originally mortal being connects itself with an already existing cosmic power and merges with it. We actually have a few members who are bounded to the Phoenix Force that embodies Life and Death. But it is easy to loose yourself in the power and in the changes of your own being," he stated. "There had been a few who had reached this kind of power and... you could say they lost their humanity... became insane. They became a danger for everything that exists and needed to be contained or destroyed. A few of these times it was actually us who had to do this. That is the reason that doing so seemingly `small things´ like helping a single person in need is so important to us. It reminds and helps us to stay human."

"Hold up," Rias called out. "Destroyed? You are talking about actually killing creatures like that? They are almighty you said that yourself, right?"

"Believe me," he answered sternly, " **everything** can be destroyed if you use the right method and enough raw power... all except the Creation and Destruction itself," he said cryptically. Some of them realized he was talking about the two `supreme powers´ that were stated to be guiding both the Guardians and their enemies.

"The `normal born´ entities, who had been these from the beginning, are mostly mentally stable and willing to exist along in peace with the rest of the multiverse. Or they are so destructive and chaotic from the beginning that the other Cosmic Powers interfered to stop them a long time ago."

"Does that mean that the same thing could happen to **me** as well?" Issei wanted to know.

Darien looked at him.

"That depends. If you mean becoming a Cosmic Entity. Yes, with the potential Ddraig gives you, I am pretty sure you might be able to do it," he replied. "If you mean going out of control, no, I don´t think that will happen. If I had reason to believe that would happen, I would have never resurrected you in the first place. No matter if I wanted to. I actually believe that, with the guidance of Ddraig, you have the best chance that there won´t be any greater problems in the long run. Isn´t that right Ddraig? I can trust you to keep an eye on him," he addressed the Dragon.

 **[Of course. He is my partner after all,]** he replied for them all to hear.

Issei suddenly felt how a pair of arms were wrapping themselves around him.

Issei suddenly felt how a pair of arms were wrapping themselves around him.

"Yes, we **won´t** let anything happen to him," he heard Raynare´s voice purring into his ear and he sensed his own body freeze at her touch. "I made this mistake once and I won´t let it happen again," she said. A part of him wanted to push her away, another was happy to hear her say these words.

At the same time, he noticed yet another glare that Irina was now sending in their direction and one a bit more insecure look from Asia.

"Very good," Darien stated, interrupting their short scene, "then let me show you an example."

As if he was making a demonstration, he lifted his hand and the room around them suddenly changed. A moment later they were no longer standing in the hall inside the mansion, but on a wide open field, surrounded by a line of small hills and mountains at one side and a lake on the other. Both were in about a mile's distance in opposite directions.

At first glance, it was nothing more than a place in a quite beautiful mountain-area. But they realized instantly that it was something completely different. They all felt instantly the enormous weight on their shoulders and after a minute they realized how they seemed to be growing weaker with every moment.

"This here is the special training area where you all will spend a great part of your training for the next two weeks," Darien stated. "As you all can feel; this is not Earth. It is a dimension that we have formed and designed especially for this purpose. The gravity is higher and the air thinner is as in your usual environment to help with the physical aspect of your training. Beside that however the structure of the space in this dimension itself is created in a way that makes it harder to form supernatural energy. This will help rise your reserves and strengthen your attacks. As a demonstration. Raynare, would you form a light-spear. Rias Gremory, would you please use your Power of Destruction... on that rock over there." He pointed at a very large nearly a half meter long stone lying a short distance from them.

The `demonstration´ showed all too well what he meant. Being supernatural creatures, both had got used to the thin air very quickly and somehow managed to deal with the gravity. Others, like Issei and Asia, who had little prior training and Murayama, who didn´t have supernatural abilities until a day ago, seemed to have greater problems to adjust. Irina and Xenovia were doing somewhat better, since they had experience in both.

Raynare was trying to form a spear, something that she normally could do while she was asleep, but couldn´t for a few seconds. After a few tries, she finally managed to do it. But the spear she had formed was only very thin, short and seemed to flicker, as if it didn´t have enough energy.

It was the same with Rias. For the first moments she couldn´t use her powers and then, she was only able to form a very small globe of energy that just blew a chunk out of the rock, instead of vaporizing it like it should.

"As you can see, this environment is designed to make it harder for you to use both your physical and magical abilities. By the time you will be able to access them like you are used to, your strength and energy will already have grown and when you continue to train, your power will rise exponentially."

As he said these words, some of the others had begun trying out their own abilities at this place or in case of Xenovia who had instead drawn her sword and went through various moves of swordsplay. Something that was also much harder here and she was exhausted after less than a minute.

Darien said nothing for a few minutes and gave all of them a chance to get an impression of this place.

"Issei, Raynare, Asia... and you as well Gaeriel, I want you to stay right here," he finally announced. "Since you have all basically already been recruited several days ago, the test of the labyrinth won´t be necessary for you. Murayama, you are still under my personal care. The Gremory peerage can stay as well. Since you are not joining our organization, there is no reason for you to enter the Labyrinth and you too can begin your regular training right now. And for the rest, Seras, Odin, would you please return to the entrance."

They all noticed how Darien had addressed the old man they had met earlier.

"You are Odin?" Irina asked him in surprise.

"The one of this universe, yes," the old man confirmed. An eye-patch suddenly appeared on the side of his face, that he had obviously magically concealed earlier. "But that is a tale for later. We have other matters to attend to," he said.

Suddenly he, Seras, Irina, Xenovia, Dohnaseek and Kalawarner found themselves back inside the hall where they had been a few minutes earlier. The rest of them had stayed in the dimension Darien had transported them to.

"Now," Odin stated, "if you would go inside?" he gestured to the door.

"What will await us there?" Kalawarner asked a bit nervously.

"The Labyrinth will face you with a few challenges," Odin responded. "But it will also lead you to the person who will be your main instructor for the coming weeks. It is designed to lead you to the person most suited for it."

At his statement, the four of them passed the door and walked inside.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The `trainings-dimension´_

They had just watched how the others disappeared. Issei, Raynare, Murayama and Asia had gone together Darien, leaving the Devils behind to get used to their new environment and begin their training on their own.

Meanwhile with the others they were following the Guardian leader to a place close by.

"Red, Ophis, Albion, Ddraig, have you asked yourself why so many of the entities I mentioned are Dragons?" Darien asked them.

"Dragons are just under the strongest supernatural creatures known," Raynare replied. "Everyone knows that."

"At least in your universe," he stated. "But why are they? One of the reasons for their power is the nature of their minds."

"Their minds?" Issei questioned.

"Yes, the nature of the Dragons is different from the one of most creatures in the sense that they, their thoughts and souls, are directly connected to the universe. In a sense they can draw power directly from the cosmos. Infinite power, as long as their forms are able to channel the energy.

Some people would say their thoughts are `purer´ by nature. But don´t confuse this sort of pureness with innocence. It is not a question of good and evil if you can reach this stage. After all, our enemies have reached this level as well," Darien reminded them.

"Like I said, the most powerful Dragons or other creatures are in a sense just as much `people´ as they are manifestations of aspects of the universe. But sometimes it is possible for a normal being to change the nature of your thoughts, to connect them with the universe in a similar way a Dragon´s would be. But it is not easy, not by long shot. Unless you have direct help from a higher being that is already on this stage, it can take centuries. This will actually be one aspect of the more advanced part of your training."

"You mean we...?" Raynare asked stunned.

Darien grinned a bit amused.

"You will not grow power hungry on us again will you?" he asked her sarcastically. "Like I said, it is not easy. It had taken me 15 centuries to truly reach this stage... and that was **after** I absorbed part of the Holy Grail. So you can imagine how **your** chances are. Of course you also first need certain level of supernatural power to make this transformation. In other words, you need to be incredibly powerful before you can even hope to achieve it. And to be honest you are all far far away from it. But we will show you how to lay the groundwork."

"Okay," she answered. "Why exactly have you separated us from the others?" she wanted to know.

"Like I said, they are **completely** new recruits," Gaeriel replied in his stead, "while you already have a few days of training. So they will have to pass the test first. Aside from that we both know that you have done a few... well, questionable things. We know that you are willing to change. With your two comrades however, we are not so sure. They are only here because we have saved them earlier after all."

They had just reached a small pond surrounded by a group of trees. With the high gravity, the trees didn´t seemed to have grown very tall and were looking a bit different than they would have been on Earth. Close by was a structure build of stone, that looked by some sort of small shrine.

As they were standing in front of it, they sensed Darien activating his powers and suddenly two more figures appeared before them. One of them was a man with sandy blonde hair, dressed in a archaic looking armor, the other was an old man in dark green colored robes.

"Galahad," the younger man greeted Darien with his original name. "It is good to see you again."

"It is good to see you as well," he replied. "... Your Majesty," he added smirking.

"You know I told you not to call me that," the man said. "That was a long time ago... and we are dead after all."

"Why have you summoned us here?" the old man asked Darien.

"I have a few new recruits here who I think could use a few lessons from you." He turned around to them. "May I Introduce, the spirits of my former king, Arthur Pendragon and Merlin, Sorcerer of Britannia and also former head of the Order of the Guardians. I am sure you can learn much from them."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Back at the entrance of the labyrinth_

Just like Odin had told them, they had been entering together.

But soon the corridor they were walking in branched out and separated into a line of different tunnels. And somehow, in a mysterious way, they seemed to be loosing each other.

It was as if something was influencing their minds, a few of them realized. Every time one of them looked around, one of their group seemed to be gone from one moment to the other, having taken a different path without the others even noticing.

Until a short time later they were all by themselves... each on their own way.

 **xxx**

Irina had noticed how the others had disappeared one after the other. After a few minutes she had run into the first problems. A creature or maybe more a thing, was standing in front of her. It was completely grey and looked as if it were made from nothing but clay.

The creature was clearly challenging her. It´s arms were forming themselves into blades and it was going into a fighting stance.

She draws her Excalibur and was ready to defend herself. The creature attacked nearly instantly. After just a few moments, she had outmaneuvered her opponent and slashed right through its `body´. But the strange mass it was made of was only reforming itself after she had slashed it and the creature was standing before her just like a moment earlier.

"A golem," Irina heard a voice coming out of a corner. "It is here as a test for new recruits. It has no life of its own and only does what it was created to do. But it can regenerate itself and continue to fight, no matter how often you strike it down. To defeat it you have to use your own spiritual energy, channel it directly into your blade and combine it with the power of your weapon that you already possessed," the voice said.

As she turned to it, she saw a blonde haired young man in casual looking clothes standing at one of the corridors. This had to be the teacher she was supposed to meet here, she thought.

Irina tried to do what the stranger told her. But without any real success. Normally she was relying on the mystical power that her weapon alone possessed and her ability to wield it.

"That is enough," the man finally said and the golem froze in its move. "You couldn´t have been expected to learn a new use of your abilities from one moment to the other. To be honest," he admitted, "I hadn't been really good at it myself when I first learned this stuff. I have always been more relied on regular combat and weapons myself. Your name is Irina Shidou I have been told?

She nodded.

"My name is Steve Rogers," he introduced himself, "former captain of the US Army, experimental super-soldier and super-hero and since a few centuries now member of the guardians."

He took something from his back. She saw that it was a round shield with a star painted on it, styled in the colors resembling the US flag.

"I am here to instruct you," he said, "so let us asses the rest of your abilities." He went into a fighting stance.

 **xxx**

Kalawarner was in a similar situation. She had just lost contact with Dohnaseek a few moments ago and was now walking through the seemingly endless corridors. The `test´ she had to face however was a bit different.

After a few minutes, she suddenly heard a loud noise and then she saw a young human woman with short brown hair running from one of the corridors before her.

The girl seemed to be in panic and running from something.

"Please... please help me," she called out. "It is after me."

For a moment Kalawarner had the urge to ask why in the world she should help a human. But then, for some reason she herself didn´t quite understood, she formed a light-spear and turned in the direction the girl had come from.

`It´ turned out to be another golem who had been following the girl and was now facing the Fallen Angel. And just like with Irina the golem was regenerating itself after the first strikes they exchanged. Then, however the creature suddenly simply stopped moving.

"Very good," the `girl´ told her. "You have actually decided to help what you thought was only a helpless human," she stated. "I am going to be your teacher. My name is May. I admit we had our doubts about you. But as it looks you seem actually worthy to join us."

Kalawarner was staring at the girl, getting angry as she realized that she had been fooled.

"You," she growled.

"You should calm down a bit," the human girl said. "You don´t want to ruin the good first impression so quickly, would you?" she asked her grinning.

In this moment Kalawarner lost control of her rage. She formed another light-spear, ready to throw it at the human. How did this `human´ dare? First she tricked her and then made fun of it.

But to her surprise the girl had already moved, quicker as she could react and was now standing behind her. As Kalawarner turned around for another strike, the girl made a giant leap towards the wall and after some acrobatic moves, landed on it with her feet first. To her surprise however the girl´s feet actually seemed to be somehow stick to the wall and she was hanging on it like some kind of insect for a few moments, before she made another incredible quick jump in Kalawarner´s direction... landing right before her, already in a fighting stance.

She wanted to attack her with the weapon she was still holding in her hands. But before she could the girl was shooting some sticky substance at her from two small devices on her wrists. The substance actually reminded her of... spider-web? Moments later however she realized she had been completely shackled down by it. Whatever it was, the stuff was incredibly resistant.

Her new teacher was only looking at her smiling.

"May I introduce myself," she said. "I am May Parker... sometimes however I am also called Spider-Girl. I am here to teach you a few things for the next week."

 **xxx**

Xenovia was still following her path. Like the others, she had lost sight of her comrades and allies. But it didn´t worry her too much. After all this was exactly what the old man had said would happen.

After a few more minutes, she saw someone else. To her surprise, as she came closer, she saw that the figure in front of her was actually just a teenage boy, who was sitting in the lotus position on the way before her.

The boy had dark hair, was quite lean from his statue and as far as she could tell in his sitting position, not very tall. As he opened his eyes and looked at her, she saw that they had an unusual violet color. But he didn´t seem to be a Fallen Angel. No, all her senses told her that he was human.

" **You** are my teacher?" she asked a bit disbelieving.

From his looks he couldn´t be any older than her. But she knew these beings were immortals, so he might have been around for centuries.

"Yes, I am here to teach you some lessons," the young man replied. His voice sounded smooth and confident. Of course his statement of `teaching her a lesson´ could be interpreted in two ways. The second one caused her anger to rise up inside her.

"You can call me... Zero," he told her. He stood up, completely casual, as if she wasn´t a threat at all.

She pointed her sword at him.

"Then let us begin," she said.

"Yes, but before that," he replied, "... could you please give me your weapons." For a moment it was as if she saw a strange light in his eyes.

... As Xenovia came back to her senses, the `boy´ was standing right before her and holding her own Excalibur Destruction to her throat... and she didn´t have the slightest memory of how he got it. Her other sword Durandal, was lying on the ground, a short distance from them.

"What... what had happened?" she asked in shock.

"You depend too much on brute force and strength," the teenager explained casually. "Ironically, it is in some sense the opposite of a weakness I once had. I had once been relying mostly on my strategic abilities and neglected physical combat. Beside that you also have no real defense against mental powers, like my Geass for example. Well, over the next few weeks, we are going to change that," he stated.

 **xxx**

Dohnaseek had passed his `test´ as well... even if he certainly didn´t look like it in the moment. Like the others he had meet his teacher. As it turned out however, this `teacher´ was not quite what he had expected. After about ten minutes wandering through the labyrinth he found the not very tall human with wild dark hair they had seen standing between the group that had welcomed them earlier that day. To that came... the guy was barely paying attention to him. He was just sitting on the ground and seemed to be... meditating?

"Hey you," Dohnaseek had finally yelled at him as he had enough.

"Ah, I see, you are the guy I am supposed to teach some lessons," the man replied casually. "Fallen Angel, right? I am not sure if I am supposed to be impressed," he said, still sitting on the ground.

It came as it had to. He could no longer hold his anger at being treated so casually by a `mere human´ and attacked the man. And it came as it had to, even if the Fallen Angel had not been aware of it, as this `mere human´ wished the floor with him.

To his horror he saw how his opponent stopped his light-spear and broke it apart with his bare hand.

Now, only a few seconds later, he was lying on the ground, the `human´ standing over him with three metallic claws that were in fact growing out of his underarms pointed at his throat. Dohnaseek suddenly felt very small-

"I know your type. Always out for a fight, always looking for a challenge," the man told him matter of factly. "Good. But you should never underestimate your opponent. Especially not just because he belongs to a race that you deem `inferior´. When it comes hard to hard, it is never save to say what someone else might be capable of. And even more important, you should not attack people with deadly force just because of a `perceived´ slight. If you cannot respect the lives of others, no matter what race they are, you have no place here. Did I make myself clear?" he asked, his claws moving even closer to his throat.

Dohnaseek nodded.

"Good," the man responded. "My name is Logan. Sometimes people also call me Wolverine."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _In their own reality_

The small group consisting of Sirzechs, Grayfia and Serafall had just arrived back in their own universe a short time ago, as they were confronted with another unwelcome surprise.

As they returned to the Underworld, after giving Sona further instruction to deal with the two week absence of some of her fellow students, they saw that Lord and Lady Phenex, along with their son Raiser were already awaiting them.

They were telling them about what had happened and the kidnapping of their daughter Ravel. Nothing of it sounded good... especially since the attacker had been identified as a Fallen Angel.

"This is a serious situation," Sirzechs stated. "A Fallen Angel invading our territory and was unnoticed by everyone around and then kidnapping a High Class Devil like this."

"Yes, this will surely cause a crisis," Sirzechs agreed. "The situation with the Grigori is bad enough as it is."

"I don´t care about any of this," Raiser interrupted them. "I demand that you do something immediately and save my sister."

"Raiser this situation could ultimately lead to a new war if we aren´t careful," Sirzechs pointed out. "Don´t forget that also two servants of your family had been killed."

"Who cares about these lowly servants. My sister - a High Class Devil - had been kidnapped and if the Fallen Angels are responsible for it, I say we crush them all like the..." Raiser wanted to say more, but he couldn´t because Sirzechs had grabbed him by the throat and was drawing him closer to him.

Lord and Lady Phenex were looking shocked and a bit irritated how he was treating their son. Despite that they knew that Raiser´s behavior was out of line.

But the Maou couldn´t care less right now.

`You are sitting on top of a system of corruption... and are fooling yourself into believing you are a good person, ´ the words of that creature were shooting through his mind.

"Listen Raiser, the last war had nearly devastated our species. We are **still** trying to repopulate. That is one of the reasons you were set up to marry my sister in the first place if you remember. I have no patience right now for people who only care for their family and their **status**. Do you get this?" Sirzechs asked with visible venom.

"Yes... Yes," the now intimidated Raiser stammered.

"Good," he replied, letting go of him. The other Devils around were only starring at the red haired Maou, somewhat distraught about how he had just reacted.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Five days later - the world of the Guardians  
_

They were currently all assembled in the `training area´. In the last days, they all had made remarkable progress.

Issei had become much stronger physically, had extended the time he was able to use his Boosted Gear and the number of boosts he could withstand, had trained his Dragon shot technique and had reached a better control of his telepathy. He had also gained access to his Balance Breaker and was by now able to hold it for nearly a minute. Well, in a few cases at least.

Raynare had recently grown a second pair of wings and by what they had been told, Dohnaseek was not far away from it and Kalawarner had improved a lot as well. All three of the Fallen Angels had grown stronger and also improved their magical powers, especially their psychic abilities.

Irina, Xenovia, Issei and also Kiba had also gotten several lessons in swordsplay by the various masters here. Asia and Raynare had learned better and more complex use of the Sacred Gear they now both shared.

Both the humans and the Fallen Angels had also been trained in the Ki control technique that the Guardians used and how to apply it in combat. While the two Exorcists, Dohnaseek and Kalawarner were completely new to it however, Issei and Raynare were now improving on what they had already learned.

After the lessons they had taken from the spirits of both Merlin and King Arthur, Issei, Raynare and Asia had been introduced to their permanent instructors for the two week training. As it had turned out it were the two identical looking red headed women they had met earlier. Jean Grey and Madelyne Prior, Darien had introduced them.

Both were, as they were told, human mutants and extremely powerful telepaths... former members of a team called the X-men. As it turned out they were also two of the members who had merged with what Darien had called the Phoenix Force. Another curious part was that Madelyne, as they were told, was actually a clone of Jean... and that while they now considered themselves something like sisters, there had been a time that they had not been going along well and could barely be in the same room without trying to kill each other.

It was nice to see that he and Raynare were not the only ones with a `difficult´ past, as part of Issei thought sarcastically. What was kind of ironic to him was that both Raynare and Asia now had the same teacher, since they were both being instructed by Madelyne, who was not only an immensely powerful telepath, but also a former healer and sorcerer with great magical abilities. So in some sense an ideal teacher for them both. While he was being trained by Jean.

Issei for his part admitted that he could not have hoped for a better trainer if he had to fight against someone like Raiser. She possessed similar abilities like the Phenex family, only that she made **theirs** look like a mere joke.

While most of the others were currently mostly training with their different `instructors´ - none of them had actually been able to win their first fight with their teacher... or better said they had no chance, but they all were making progress - Gaeriel and Raynare were at the moment having a sparring match with each other. Both now four winged Fallen Angels fought each other to a draw.

Like it was agreed, Rias and her peerage were getting training as well. Only that they were not being thought any special techniques or magical abilities. But they as well had improved significantly.

The day was just coming to its end and for now they were returning to the normal world. They were spending the evenings and the nights in one wing of the giant estate that was `reserved´ for guests. Each of them had been given a bedroom for themselves and also a common room and a few other places where they could spend their time. in other words, the entire part of the building complex was theirs. It was actually like a very large hotel or holiday center.

Well, in some way it was truly like a school trip, Issei thought. Only that he was here with a bunch of supernatural being. But on the other hand, it was the same in school, wasn´t it?

 **xxx**

This evening though Gaeriel had an announcement for them.

"I have something to show you," she said. Following her they all sat down in the large lounge of their residence. She showed them something what looked like a half dozen hyper-modern compact discs that she was holding in her hand.

"What is this?" Xenovia asked curious. "Some kind of movies?"

"Not quite," Gaeriel replied. "To tell you the truth... " She hesitated for a short moment. "... we have been monitoring parts of your universe and also of several other realities that had a great resemblance to yours... a very great resemblance actually... with concealed spy drones."

"You mean that there are... well... other versions of us?" Irina questioned.

"Exactly. Of course Kuoh and the Underworld were only a few of the places we have been watching. To be honest, we have been watching these realities for signs of activity from the enemy. But luckily we haven´t found anything. What I have here are the recordings from the realities that have been cleared by us."

"If they have been cleared, why do you want us to watch them?" Rias asked.

A smile formed on Gaeriel´s face.

"It is true; we haven´t found signs of the enemy or any other outside threat. I have already watched the material myself. It is just that I think you will find part of the scenes that we have recorded... very entertaining."

"Wait a second," Akeno asked, "is that something like scenes where our doubles are looking, well... foolish?"

"Yes, exactly that." Gaeriel´s wicked grin was now mirrored by Rias Queen.

"Let us watch them right now," Akeno declared.

"Akeno... " Rias wanted to say something.

"Yes, let us do it," she was interrupted by Raynare who was standing right behind Issei and suddenly draw him into a hug. "What do you say Ise-kun, don´t you want to have a good laugh at my expense? Even if it is not **this** me."

"I have already selected the scenes you will find `interesting´," Gaeriel said. "That means of course the ones where your other selves appear."

"No double of you?" Rias asked a bit provocative.

"No, our drones had not caught one of them as it seems. But I promise, as soon as they do I will show you." She grinned.

"It seems I don´t have a great choice here, right?" Issei stated. "Well, why not? It might be fun."

 **xxx**

About a half hour later, all of them had changed out of their training clothes and taken a shower and were now sitting together in the futuristic version of a living room `their´ wing of the mansion possessed.

Couches and armchairs had as it seemed not changed much in 700 years as they had realized during the week they had spent here. Beside the large monitor on the wall however, that had some resemblance to a TV set, there was also a device in the room that was known as a holoprojector and that Gaeriel was just about to activate.

"So, are you ready?" she announced and shut the device on. Before them in the room appeared a three dimensional picture and after a short moment the recording started to play.

Issei recognized the place as his own home or at least a quite similar version. But still maybe a bit different.

They all however recognized the figure lying before them on the couch, Issei thought. It was Raynare.

"It seems you got your wish **Fallen Angel** ," Rias said to the Raynare sitting next to them. "You are first."

"And it seems you have the same `fashion sense´ in every reality," Kalawarner commented, seeing that the double was wearing the same revealing leather outfit.

"As if you are one to talk Kalawarner," Raynare responded.

At the same time the recording was still playing.

 _ **xxx**_

 _"Ugh what happened?" the alternate Raynare groaned as she was waking up... only to look around in obvious surprise as she took in her surroundings. "Where the hell am I?" she shouted._

"Yep, that sounds just like you," Irina remarked sarcastically.

 _"Man do you have to be so loud, some of us have school today," they heard another voice._ It was his own, Issei realized.

They all watched as the alternate version of him appeared in the hallway, rubbing his eyes and only wearing black boxers.

He and this Raynare couldn´t have...? this Issei thought for a moment before he realized that his double had just came from another room and Raynare had been unconscious a moment ago.

 _"You!" she shouted and jumped off the couch, looking as if she was trying to form a light-spear and failing._

 _"Yeah *yawn* me," the alternate Issei answered completely relaxed, "now stop trying to kill me and quiet down, it is still too early for me," he said sleepily before muttering about people not letting him sleep past sunrise._

The group of spectators who were watching the entire even could only look in surprise at his reaction to a Fallen Angel trying to kill him. Especially Issei couldn´t quite understand it. He remembered his horror as he was in the situation.

The Raynare in the recording looked equally stunned.

 _"Where am I?" she finally asked sourly._

 _"My house obviously, my parents aren't home now as they are on vacation so it is just you and me here." Said Issei in a voice that was slowly becoming more alert and less sleepy._

 _"Uh… huh?" Was all Raynare could stutter out._

 _Issei sighed deeply before downing a glass of milk before walking over to her and offering her some orange juice which she eyed warily._

 _"Relax I'm not trying to poison you, besides you were the one who tried to kill me last night or did you forget?" he joked._

 _"Ok what the hell happened I demand an explanation!" Shouted Raynare angrily._

"Yes, that is clearly you," the Issei of their world said to that part of the recording.

 _"You will sit down and listen," the other Issei replied, levelling a cold, icy glare at her, "you will not demand anything from me, and thirdly you are not to interrupt me. I am showing you kindness here and if you continue showing such hostility in my house I can make things very uncomfortable for you, got it?' he asked coldly._

 _Raynare nodded slightly and sat down, surprised at the abrupt change in demeanor and if she was being honest with herself, a little turned on._

"And I wished you were a bit more like your double," their Raynare said purring to him, which caused Issei to nearly cough on his on breath.

The recording continued with a short explanation from Issei how he had survived her attack ad defeated her since as it seemed in their world he had activated his Sacred Gear years ago. And a few negative comments about Raynare´s level of power and her competence, that caused `their´ Raynare to frown.

Finally, they saw him reaching out him his hand, **right** to the center of her chest.

 _"You pervert!" Shouted Raynare in the recording as she tried to slap him before he grabbed her arm and glared at her._

The room broke out into laughter at her obviously kneejerk reaction, especially as they saw that `this´ Issei didn´t plan anything perverted, but merely activated a bounding spell that he had placed on her earlier. As he explained, to make sure she would not attack him again. That he had no intention to enslave her... and that she, as he told it... had `something´ he wanted.

 _"S-so what you kept me around just to have your way with me?" Asked the alternate Raynare shakily._

 _"No, sheesh, is that all fallen angels seem to think about, guess that is why you all fell in the first place. No I want information." Said Issei in slight frustration._

"As if you would have a problem with that," remarked Kalawarner in the `real´ world.

"Really Issei-kun, this version of you is either less perverted or a real hypocrite," Xenovia commented.

They continued to watch with alternate Issei giving Raynare one more dress down about her abilities.

 _"Hey I pierced your heart didn't I?" she retorted._

 _"I let you." Deadpanned Issei._ So obviously he had powerful regeneration as well. _  
_

 _"Why?" Asked Raynare._

 _"You just flashed me so I was humoring you for a minute." Replied Issei nonchalantly._

 _"I **knew** you were a pervert!" Shouted Raynare accusingly._

The room broke now truly out into hailing laughter, humans, Fallen Angels and Devils alike.

"You were right," Akeno giggled. "This is great."

"You have to admit," Kalawarner said, "this version of you is somewhat of a ditz."

"As I remember you wanted to see the recordings Raynare," Rias stated, while holding her sides. "But I admit you were right... this is **very** entertaining."

"Just wait," Raynare countered, "I am sure you will get your turn to."

"While you mention it," Gaeriel announced. "Rias, this one features `you´," she said, holding another disk in her hand. "What's wrong Devil, are you getting cold feet?" she grinned.

"Of course not," Rias responded, " **play** it."

 **xxx**

The next scene played at a place that Rias and her peerage easily recognized as the Gremory mansion in the Underworld, to be precise the office of her brother.

They watched that universes version of Sirzechs sitting at his desk and doing paperwork, as it was knocking on the door.

 _"Oni-sama, its Rias, can we talk?" they heard Rias voice from the other side of the door._

 _"Please come in Rias," he stated while putting away some papers._

 _As the alternate version of the Gremory heiress entered the room, she walked straight up to her brother's desk and looked him straight in the eyes, with a rather confused look._

 _"Whats wrong Rias? You look like you just saw something impossible, and that's saying a lot considered we are a race of the supernatural." Sirzechs said with a slight smile, as to which she relaxed a little._

 _"I just had an odd conversation with my new pawn Oni-sama" Rias stated looking at Sirzechs._

"By the way," Gaeriel said in the real world, "this pawn she is talking about is not Issei. I have checked this. It is someone I have never seen before. "And by what I saw he wasn´t exactly happy as he found out he was turned into a Devil.

In the recording, the alternate Rias continued. Her brother had said nothing so far.

 _"He told me he wanted to explore this world, because it was so much different from his own, and then.." She paused for a bit, unsure if she should tell Sirzechs about him not looking at her like she was attractive, it was kind of embarrassing._

 _"Then what Rias?" Sirzechs asked with a sly smile, "Did he do or say something that would cause your cheeks to heat up like that?" he jabbed at her._

 _"ONI-SAMA! N-no he didn't! He just looked at me like it was common that girls are as pretty as me, and because I still had my nightgown on, which as you know is see-through, he didn't even bat an eye. He just called me weird like someone called Lucy... and said he was getting the vibe that I'm an exhibitionist!" the Rias in the recording blurted out._

When they had thought the room had broken out into laughter at Raynare´s scene, it was nothing compared to now. Their reaction was pretty much the same as the one of the Sirzechs they were watching.

 _"HAHAHAHAHA" Sirzechs almost screamed, for a good 5 minutes he was laughing while Rias pouted in front of him._

And similar to Rias alternate brother, it also took good five minutes for them to calm down.

"You are right," Raynare said towards Rias, while she was still shaking with laughter. "This **is** great. It seems you have truly managed to `surpass´me."

"Rias. That was just... " Akeno bursted out, trying to get a hold on herself. "I didn´t know there was that side of you," she whispered naughtily, "but I guess it explains a lot," she said, before once again breaking out into laughter.

Rias face was just nearly as red as her hair.

"Stupid recording. Stupid alternate me," she murmured.

 **xxx**

Gaeriel was laughing along with the others. At the same time however, in the back of her head, there were also different thoughts lurking. This here was a nice distraction, a little fun with her new team, she thought. But it didn´t change what she had **not** told them... yet at least.

She had not mentioned the two other surveillance disks. In that worlds they **had** found signs of the enemy... and more than that. **He** was back, Crocel, Alyk... the man she had once known so well. It seemed there was no escaping her guilt. She would enjoy her time with the others for as long as she could.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Somewhere else_

Darien was just watching one of the other two realities. The ones that Gaeriel had not told them about. In opposite to them however, he was not seeing a recording. He had moved himself to a place between the dimensions and was watching the actual events through time and space.

The scene he was following right now came from one of the world's nearly identical to Issei´s... nearly the same.

It showed Issei and Raynare, inside the abandoned church, stuck in a life and death fight. In that reality, by what he had seen, Issei **had** been resurrected as a Devil by Rias Gremory and Raynare had been going through with her plan to sacrifice Asia Argento to get her Sacred Gear.

He knew he could not interfere. Not without causing a temporal chaos since these events had already happened. He could save neither Asia or Raynare... nor could he do anything to help this version of Issei Hyoudou either. What he was watching were events of the past. He may have power that surpassed most gods, but that didn´t mean he had the arrogance to mess with the flow of time like this.

He watched how Issei was winning, barely... and how Rias Gremory appeared and was killing Raynare a short time later. Or at least it seemed so. Just before Rias had used her Power of Destruction against her however, he had sensed telepathic activity from the Fallen Angel... connecting herself... and Issei?

He knew what had happened. So this particular version of Raynare had cheated death by transferring her memories and a part of herself into Issei Hyoudou´s sub consciousness, he thought. Interesting... it was probably only in one out of hundred cases that attempting something like that actually worked.

But all that wasn´t what he was truly thinking about. No, what bothered him was something else. He could feel the eyes of the Lords on this reality. He knew at least one of them had been watching these events as well.

But so far they had not interfered directly into the events of that universe. And as long as they wouldn´t, the Guardians would hold back as well.

A direct clash with the Lords could easily obliterate that world and maybe devastate their entire galaxy... and destroy exactly the same life they were trying to protect.

* * *

 **Author notes: The first two scenes from the `Alternate Dimensions´ are from the stories `Heart of a Dragon´ from SSJ3 Kyuubi Gohan and from `Dragon Slaying Devil´ by Payn3. Taken with permission.**

 **The last scene of this chapter is from the universe of my story `Gods of Darkness´. It also explains in advance (for someone who reads both stories) how that story´s version of Raynare had `survived´ as a phantom.**

 **The conversation of the `clear´ thoughts of the Dragons is based on a theory from Azazel in canon.**


	12. Chapter 12: Training and movements

**Chapter 12  
**

 _The world of the Guardians_

They were now watching another scene from the recordings Gaeriel had brought. This time it was featuring nobody else than Irina and Xenovia.

 _"Issei wouldn't team up with the other factions, why would he?" said the Irina in the recording._

 _"Power, money, followers, women; there are many things men want and the_  
 _fallen angels and devils are perfectly capable of supplying them, they_  
 _are creatures who indulge in their desires." Replied Xenovia._

 _"Why would Issei need power, you said he is quite powerful already? What_  
 _would he need money for anyway, or followers?" Said Irina._

 _"What about women, all men want women?" Questioned Xenovia._

 _"W-well if Issei needs women he can have me... a-and he knows that anyway."_  
 _Said Irina with a furious blush. "Oh Lord, please forgive my sinful heart, amen." Said Irina quietly._

The Irina sitting in the audience realized to her horror that they all had just heard an indirect, but pretty straight-up, confession from her other self. She shared a short look with Issei... and with Raynare as well, who only smiled at her. Typical, Irina thought. The Fallen Angel would without a doubt use this to get to her somehow.

But the recording continued. The two of them were now meeting the Occult Research Club... and these world´s versions of Issei and Raynare who were there as well for some reason. Gaeriel had told them that this scene came from the same world as the first recording, where Raynare had tried to kill Issei and failed thanks to his already developed powers.

By what Gaeriel had told them however, the drone had followed events that would happen, from their P.O.V, around several weeks... or even a few months in the future. So what they were seeing were actually things that had not happened 'yet´ in their reality - possible future events. In other words, what they were seeing now might be useful for far more than just their personal amusement, as Gaeriel herself had stated.

 _"... Now what is it exactly that requires the Church to send two_  
 _of its own here?" Asked Rias in the scene they were watching._

 _"Recently the Excalibur swords held by the Catholic Church's_  
 _Headquarters, the Vatican, Protestant Church, and Eastern Orthodox_  
 _Church were stolen." Said Xenovia._

 _"Why does that bring you here?" Asked Rias seriously._

 _"Both the Catholic and Protestant Church as well as the Eastern Orthodox_  
 _Church possessed two Excalibur's each. One from each of these Churches_  
 _was stolen, while the other swords of the Catholic and Protestant church_  
 _are currently wielded by Irina and me with the last being under heavy_  
 _security. The ones who stole these swords escaped here to Japan and_  
 _brought them to this town." Said Xenovia._

 _"It seems my area is full of incidents, so who stole the Excalibur's?"_  
 _Questioned Rias._

 _"The people who stole them were the Grigori." Said Xenovia getting a_  
 _gasp from Raynare´s double._

In the real world, the Fallen Angels, the Exorcists and the Devils present exchanged a look at this statement. Most of them were thinking the same thing... Kokabiel.

They watched the recording continue.

 _"I told you they had lured him with women, can't you see he didn't know_  
 _you were available and now our enemies, both the fallen angels and_  
 _devils have bribed him with women." Said Xenovia to Irina._

 _"Xenovia! You can't just say things like that so openly! Besides, we_  
 _don't know that for sure maybe they have a mutual agreement." Said Irina_  
 _with a small blush._

 _"With women as physically attractive as them? You must accept it your_  
 _friend has fallen prey to lust." Said Xenovia._

 _"Um are they ignoring us?" Asked Issei dumbfounded._

 _"It would seem so." Replied Rias in a similar manner._

 _"What are they saying about us being used to turn Issei to the side of_  
 _our respective factions?" Asked Raynare in annoyance._

 _"Maybe they think we have seduced Issei and brought him to our_  
 _respective sides." Said Akeno with a giggle._

 _"Uh… what the hell?" Asked Issei in confusion._

The Issei in the present pretty much shared his sentiment. Even he had to grin seeing this. Beside him Irina was now so embarrassed that she was blushing heavily and wordlessly starring down at the ground before her.

 _"You must accept it Irina, Issei has become possessed by lust and is_  
 _merely being swayed by the women of other factions." Said Xenovia_  
 _completely ignoring everyone else but Irina._

 _"It is not true; Issei would never crumble and become a weak beast of_  
 _sexual desire." Retorted Irina angrily._

 _"Believe what you will but the facts speak for themselves." Said Xenovia._

"Are we truly this annoying?" Xenovia asked in a bit of shock.

"To be honest, you for sure are." Raynare giggled.

"But you heard the point about the stolen Excalibur's," Rias stated. "This would really be a serious matter. And bringing them right into Devil territory...?"

"Do you think Kokabiel is behind it?" Kalawarner asked them now.

"It's Quite possible," Xenovia replied, "after what we found out about him."

Next to her, Kiba just starred at the spot where they recording was still playing.

"Excalibur," he whispered... while Xenovia gave him a side-look. She had already noticed his obsession with the Excaliburs some time ago. She had asked him about it once, but he didn't want to talk about it. Well, maybe it would have been better to at least address him by name instead of saying... "Hey Devil, there is something I wanted to ask you," like she did. Okay, she admitted that she had not exactly been emphatic back then. She was probably lucky that she had gotten only a scowl in return. But at least she thought she was getting better here.

"We should keep our eyes open when we return," Rias stated. "In case this will also happen in our world."

Irina for her part was now nearly as red as the Gremory heiress had been just a few minutes before as she had seen the recording of **her** double.

"Why did Gaeriel just have to show this part of the recordings?" she said to herself.

"I know how you feel," Rias told her. "You have seen how **my** last counterpart had acted."

"Yes, but your other self is a slut," Irina suddenly yelled... for all of them to hear.

The looks that everybody was suddenly sending to the Exorcist made her only more embarrassed.

Rias glared at her for a moment. But on the other hand she admitted deep down she agreed with Irina about her other self. She could only be happy that her 'stupid bitch double´ had not decided to speak to her brother while still in her see-through nighty she had been talking about and give him... and with that everyone here, a good look at. Not that she had a problem with presenting herself in front of others. But it didn't necessarily had to be her brother, right?

If she thought about it, why exactly would her big brother even knew so well that her nighties were see-through? What kind of relationship exactly did her double have with her brother? She wasn´t even sure if she wanted to know.

 **xxx**

What gave her far more to think about however was Gaeriel´s comment that her counterpart´s new Pawn, whoever it was, had not been happy about being turned. She knew the Fallen Angel well enough by now to know that this meant he was very likely in open rebellion against her other self.

This thought somewhat disturbed her. She was used to the idea that her new servants, after she had turned them, would accept being Devils pretty quickly. That one would resent **her** , even actually turn against her - knowing that he would be labeled a Stray Devil - that was something completely new to her.

'Or maybe you are just so unbelievably arrogant to think everyone would be happy being your servant,´ another part of her told herself. She remembered the confrontation she had with Issei about her attempt to turn him. He wasn't very happy at all. So far she had told herself this was only because it had failed and if he had become a Devil, he would have come to terms with it. But what if not...? Would he have ended up hating her?

By what she had seen her in the last days, both might be true. There might actually be one world out there where Issei had become her loyal servant... and another where he turned into her worst enemy.

Thinking that **everybody** would be happy to be her servant? Was she truly **that** arrogant? she asked herself. Rias thought once again back at the way Issei had reacted. She knew all too well how many Pure Blood Devils lost their lives to their own servants. She sometimes asked herself what had caused these servants to hate their masters so much that they murdered them, even if they risked being hunted down and killed themselves.

Would her counterpart from that world meet the same fate, being killed by a servant she herself had recruited? Somewhere in her mind she saw a picture of Issei Hyoudou standing over her own dead body. That wouldn´t have happened, right? Issei would have never simply killed her, no matter the circumstances... right? At least that was what she was telling herself.

She tried to bring herself to think about other things.

What had truly surprised her however, was that all of their combined group, Devils, Fallen Angels and human Exorcists alike, had began to get along together quite well. Despite them all being mortal enemies. But somehow it was nearly as if they had left their own world behind when they arrived here.

Two who seemed to be getting along especially well, were Kiba and the Exorcist Xenovia. It had started with the two of them having regular sparring matches with each other, more than either of them had with either Issei or Irina. A bit later they had started to also spend some time together outside of their training.

She had mentioned this to her Knight, getting too close to a member of the other Factions could lead to problems. But he had told her that they were just exchanging skills and knowledge. She wasn´t quite sure if she believed that.

Of course she was sure that Kiba would never actually lie to her. But that didn´t mean that he and the Exorcist could not grow close without either of them actually intending it.

 **xxx**

"Now, here I have another recording," Gaeriel announced. "Issei, this one shows you. Just to be fair, I want to play it as well."

"Just do it," he replied stoically. "It can hardly get any worse."

The next recording started:

Issei recognized the place as his classroom, with Motohama, Matsuda, Murayama Katase and Aika Kiryuu... a girl that he knew to be herself perverted in a quite similar way as Motohama... surrounding his other self. This version of him, he admitted a bit grudgingly, was far more muscular and impressive looking than himself.

 _"No way, Hyoudou had… sex." Said Katase in disbelief._

A good beginning, Issei thought in the real world, half sarcastically half really meaning it.

 _"I wonder if that is why he got so buff." Whispered Murayama._

 _"Ho? Big talk, but where is your proof?" Asked Kiryuu._

They saw Issei - they one in the recording - remove his shirt and show his classmates his back, that was full of red scratches.

 _"Like I said, physical evidence. She is a wild cat in bed and she can_  
 _take one hell of a pounding."_

 _"No way. Was Hyoudou serious?" Asked Murayama in a whisper._

 _"Hmm, they did look fairly genuine." Said Kiryuu, commenting on the_  
 _marks they just saw on his back._

Well, this recording seemed to contain less important stuff than the last one, they all thought.

 _"As for who? I'll leave that until the end. The why though: is because I_  
 _have superior genetics." Said Issei before going silent._

 _"Well… who is it?" Asked Motohama, both in excitement and envy._

 _"Kuroka." Said Issei simply._

 _"That doesn't tell us anything!" Shouted the perverted duo._

 **xxx**

In the audience however, Koneko reacted instantly and froze as she heard that name.

"Kuroka?" Akeno asked, "isn´t that...?"

"Yes," Rias replied. Koneko´s sister, who had killed her former master and became a Stray Devil. Her use of senjutsu, as it had been said, had driven her to insanity. As a result Koneko had been seen as a threat as well and nearly been killed by Devil society, if Rias brother had not interfered and saved her.

"Well, maybe that one isn´t like the Kuroka from our world," Kiba suggested.

 **xxx**

 _"Oh, right, did I forget to mention that Kuroka is Koneko's big sister?_  
 _Also, when I say big, I'm not just talking about her age in comparison_  
 _to Koneko." Said Issei, getting jaws to drop throughout the classroom._

Koneko now changed from frozen in shock, to turning deep red from hearing that statement.

 _"No way…" Said Matsuda in shock._

 _"Koneko has a big sister?" Continued Motohama._

 _"Yep, although, they aren't on the best of terms, oh, and I'll say this_  
 _now: she's mine, so don't even think about it." Said Issei._

 _"I can't believe… Hyoudou… had sex with someone… him…" Said Murayama._

 _"Well, if you want, I could show you what it's like." Teased Issei with_  
 _a grin, getting Murayama to blush and splutter refusals._

The Murayama sitting right next to them showed a similar reaction as she blushed as well.

 _"Oh, that's too bad. If Kuroka is to be believed, I'm apparently very_  
 _good at it. I mean, just ask everyone who heard us near the edge of town_  
 _this morning." Said Issei, getting wide-eyed looks from everyone._

 _Issei smirked at this, before he felt someone looking at his crotch, and_  
 _looked to where he felt the gaze coming from, only to see Kiryuu gazing_  
 _at it with a blush._

 _"Impressive, isn't it?" Asked Issei, getting Kiryuu to nervously chuckle_  
 _and look away._

 _"Well, you're not short of power, that's for sure." Said Kiryuu_  
 _perversely, getting Murayama, Katase, Motohama and Matsuda to look at_  
 _him in shock._

 _"Like I said, superior genetics, in more ways than one." Said Issei with_  
 _a smirk, which caused Murayama and Katase to blush slightly at the_  
 _implication..._

"I knew there was a good reason why falling for you was a great idea Issei-kun," Raynare said to him. "This other version of you looked quite ripped. Good to see what some training could do for you. And then there is the size of your..." she suddenly interrupted herself and turned to the Exorcist girl sitting next to her. "Now Irina... you want Issei-kun to use his 'superior genetics´ on you too don´t you?" she asked the Exorcist playfully. "I know you do."

"You - you are a sinful perverted Fallen Angel," Irina exclaimed.

"I know I am," she replied with a light smirk. "What is your excuse? Aren´t you supposed to be a warrior of the Church? After all, you want it just as much as me, don´t you?"

`Yes´, Irina admitted silently to herself. To her horror she was actually starting to get a hot feeling between her legs as she thought about Issei... and about a certain part of was truly just as sinful as the Fallen Angel.

"I... I love Issei," she responded loud.

"We both do. But that doesn´t mean we girls don´t like the idea of him having a great body... and at least according to this Kiryuu girl, a very large dick that he can use to give us the time of our lives," she said with a wicked grin.

The feelings Irina had grown became even worse. She could barely hold herself from jumping Issei-kun here and now.

Yes, Raynare thought, she knew she had the girl hook, line and sinker. Her intentional provocations were driving her exactly in the direction she wanted. All of them barely paid any attention to the still playing recording anymore.

 _They didn´t saw how the other Issei turned into 'their´ direction... or more precisely where the spy-drone was in his reality. He stood up from his chair and walked directly towards it. As he was close enough, he grabbed the small invisible machine from the air without any of his fellow students noticing._

"He had found the spy-drone?" Xenovia suddenly exclaimed, having once again paid attention to the recorded scene.

 _"I don´t know who you are or why you feel the need to observe me and my classmates," the alternate Issei said quietly. "But I would ask you to stay away from us. If you have no hostile intentions however, I apologize for this." He crushed the alien device with his right hand and with that the recording instantly ended._

"Yes, he had in fact noticed it," Gaeriel replied, "and then destroyed it as you just saw. Our probes are shielded from natural and supernatural senses and from magical powers on a very high level. To actually notice them, you would need a very advanced awareness."

"How far in the future was this scene?" Issei wanted to know. "Just how powerful was this other me?"

"By what I have seen it would be around seven months from your point of view," Gaeriel answered.

"Seven months," Issei repeated.

He thought about his training of the last days. Issei remembered just how powerful he himself became in the not even two weeks since his resurrection.

 **xxx**

As it turned out, **one** very important part of his training was not physical combat or any incredible supernatural power. He had all that as well, but this wasn´t what he was thinking about. No, one part was simply a special form of meditation. He had spent nearly every day a few hours doing it. The reason was simple. His own safety... and the one of everyone else.

With Ddraig´s help, Darien had told him, he was sure Issei could get his powers under control. But for that he first needed to confront the reason why it could turn unstable so easily in the first place. Juggernaut Drive, by what he had been told it was an aspect of the power of the Boosted Gear. It was a state when the **entire** power of the Dragon Draig was being released. But at the same time it was unstable and uncontrollable. When this happened, not only Ddraig´s full power was being awakened, but along with it also the consciousness of every former wielder of the Boosted Gear.

A small part of the soul of every past host it had, together with their memories was being contained inside his Sacred Gear, as he had been told. Many if not most of them however had been driven mad by the power or possessed by anger. And when they were brought to the surface, they drove the present host into the same madness. A wielder who fell into the Juggernaut Drive was not much more than a raging killing machine... a monster.

He couldn´t help the terrible thought that was coming up inside of him again ever since he heard about this. Had Raynare been right for killing him? He had actually stated this question loud in her presence **once** during the last week.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Two days earlier_

The reaction of the Fallen Angel was... well, not what he would have expected. As she had heard his words, she had been starring at him expressionless for a few moments. Then she pushed him with the back against the wall behind him with an angry glare, this was kind of strange since she was in her Yuuma form at that time.

 _"Listen to me Issei and listen good... I was not right to kill you. Do you get that? It was the single worst thing I ever did. Even if this 'Juggernaut Drive´ were a threat, you could have found another solution if I hadn´t been so impatient and jealous and..." she hesitated. "I am sorry," she said._

Perhaps for the first time Issei really fully realized how much she had changed during the last week. He found himself laying his arms around her and drawing her into a light hug.

 _"You have already said that before," he reminded her. "I know. I really try to forgive you. It is just, whenever you come close to me I just freeze up and..."_

 _"That´s my own fault, right? So I guess I will try to do something about it," she said to him._

That was two days ago.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Present_

Juggernaut Drive, Issei thought. Darien´s solution for the problem had been easy... **Eliminate** the Juggernaut Drive. Either by mentally contacting the past hosts that were the source of the potential danger... to communicate with them, to convince them to change their ways.

Either that or to remove them. Of course that would have been his last solution. Despite not being complete souls, they were still the remains of living beings and in some sense you could say still 'alive´. So 'killing´ them would be the last option.

So far he had been quite successful in the first part... to contact them. Well, at least the two pasts hosts who he had actually directly spoken to, Belzard and Elsha who seemed to be somewhat like 'spokesmen´ for the former wielders. From a solution however he was still far away. Despite being able to talk with them quite easily, the past-holders as a whole had been not really cooperative when it comes to resolving the Juggernaut Drive... so far at least.

During his meditation sessions he had felt it, the underlying madness, the rage, hatred and hunger for dominance coming from the soul fragments trapped somewhere deep inside the Sacred Gear... in himself. The thought that something like that was buried inside him, only waiting to break out...

Darien had told him that the chance that he would loose himself was very small. But only under the condition he managed to overcome the Juggernaut Drive. Because he trusted him that he **could** do it. He could only hope that Darien was right.

 **xxx**

Issei was not the only one who had been thinking back to his training. Most of the others or at least the Exorcists and Fallen Angels, had similar thoughts at one point or the other.

Kalawarner for example had been thinking more than once about her first training match with her new 'mentor´, who was not only a human girl, but on the first look also much younger than her. At the first look, she would have felt insulted. But after getting her ass kicked a few times, it had humbled her a bit.

What shocked her even more than the fighting skill of her opponent however was the fact that this 'normal human´ seemed to have a direct counter for her light-magic. The kicks and punches the girl had landed on her had somehow caused far more damage than they should have, even with May´s incredible strength.

Dohnaseek had said something similar. She nearly had to grin as she remembered how the proud fighter had to admit that he had been thrown around like a ragdoll. After their first confrontation with their teachers, he had told her that he believed something about their fighting-style was directly countering their supernatural energy. He had told her how his 'trainer´ had broken apart one of his light-spears with his bare hands.

It wasn´t until their next lesson that she found out just how right Dohnaseek had been... ki manipulation, a form that she had never heard of before, different from senjutsu, but in it´s own way just as effective. It was able to negate not only light, but all forms of magic, depending on how powerful you and your opponent were of course. By what she had been told **all** members of the Guardians were thought how to use it, at least to some extent... even the ones who had technically only been normal humans before they were turned into immortals. And since they were immortal, they had centuries to learn. To that came that all members of the Order absorbed automatically some supernatural energy during their initiation.

It was another humbling realization, to think that even a completely normal human could be trained to completely destroy a Fallen Angel like her with this kind of power. But by what she had been told, she was making great progress as well. So it was probably not so bad. The 'training´ so far had mostly consisted of combat and some lessons in the ki manipulation technique the Guardians used.

 **xxx**

Raynare and Asia on the other side didn´t have that particular problem when it came to their teacher... not by a long shot. They, especially Raynare, would have never even come to the idea to look down on her...not after what they had seen. Quite the opposite.

At the beginning of their first lesson, as she realized that their teacher radiated the essence of a human, she had tried to use her own mental powers to get a better picture of just who she was facing. She had learned at that point not to underestimate humans from her encounters with people like Issei or Darien.

But what she got in return shocked her even more. The redhead called Madelyne had noticed her probing and reacted instantly. Within a moment she felt herself completely overwhelmed. Her own power, she realized, was next to nothing against that of this 'human´. She was facing a power here that could literally wipe out worlds if she wanted. _Omega Level, this word and a few pictures of unimaginable destruction were the small glympses that Madelyne had knowingly allowed her to get from her mind before she had `softly´ thrown her out._

It was nearly absurd how absolutely outmatched they both were. They had learned about the ki control of the Guardians when they had watched their teacher literally reduce a large rock to dust with a single blow from her hand.

In another demonstration of power from their teacher, they had seen how she had concentrated her mental powers, concentrated them in the form of a 'blade´ and unleashed it with enough force to cut a line of mountains in halves... and even then she had been holding back.

Deep down, Raynare admitted, it was another blow to her pride. In the past she had never fully realized just how far away she was from the truly powerful supernatural entities. But that didn´t mean that their training had been a bad time, quite the opposite.

They had found out that they were both going along with their teacher quite well. During their time together, Madelyne had told them a few things about herself. She had openly admitted that she was actually some sort of clone of her 'sister´ Jean, who was at that time training with Issei.

Like she had told them she had once been a healer for the team known as the X-men, a group of mutants like her, before they became part of the Guardians. But just like Jean, she had problems to control her own emotions and the cosmic powers that she possessed, to that came some 'personal problems´... and just like Jean she was driven insane and in the end only barely saved from herself.

 _"I actually died," she had told them. "Just like Jean did more than once. But death has barely any hold on us anymore."_

It was kind of ironic that her experience nearly seemed to mirror both Asia and Raynare in different parts of her lives. Maybe this was why she could get along with both quite well.

"You know, I once felt unloved unwanted, betrayed and wronged by the entire world," she had said at one point to them. "Everyone only cared about Jean, even `our´ family. She was the original, I only a copy. And so I once unleashed my wrath on everyone. You know that feeling, right?" she asked in Raynare´s direction.

Yes she did. But she also didn´t have nearly unlimited power to live out her rage.

"But believe me," she continued, "what you did was nothing against **my** actions when I was not in control of my powers and my own rage. I would have destroyed the planet, just like Jean nearly did, it we hadn´t been stopped by our friends in time," she stated.

"Look," she said. Their surroundings had suddenly changed. But both of them realized that this was just an illusion Madelyne had created for their benefit. They were in fact still in the trainings dimension of the Guardians, but her powers made it look to them as if they were actually `standing´ in orbit high over Earth. This however was not everything.

Down on the planet `below´ them, small glowing lights were appearing... everywhere. It were thousands... no billions. _  
_

 _"The lights that you see down there are the representations of the minds belonging to every single intelligent life on the planet. Every light is one mind, one soul... and right now they are all in my hand," she said._

A light red 'fog´ seemed to be placing itself over the entire globe and between all those lights. They knew it was a visual representation of Madelynes powers. Right now she was literally holding the world in her hand.

 _"If you shared my powers - and maybe... maybe some days you will - you could influence them all, erasing memories, placing thoughts and ideas in every mind on the planet._

Of course it was only an example, a demonstration. Even if she truly wanted, the other Guardians would never let her manipulate the entire world like that.

 _"And if we wanted," she continued, "... we could destroy them all, wipe them all out with a single attack. If we wanted. The Lords would do this without any hesitation, if they saw any reason to, if it fit into their agenda... this and worse. Some of them did things like that in the past and are continuing. That is one of the reasons our organization exists," she stated. "But we would never consider doing this, right?" she looked at Raynare, "because we are `good girls´ now."_

"Not **that** good," the Fallen Angel had replied with a grin. "But I see what you mean," she said.

But deep down she admitted she felt horrified of the implications of what she just heard. Asia´s face looked as if she was feeling sick. Raynare had silently agreed with the Nun´s sentiment. `Omega Level´, that was the code-word for the ability to destroy an entire planet as she had learned, in some cases with just one attack.

That was four days ago.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Somewhere else_

At the same time in another part of the large mansion, a meeting was taking place. The most important members of the organization known as the Guardians were participating.

Close beside Darien stood Scott Summers, the leader of the team known as the X-men. They had been an organization of mutants founded to fight for tolerance and peace between them, who were often born with unusual powers and the normal humans. For decades, even centuries there had been friction and conflicts between this two subspecies of humanity. Later they had been absorbed into the Guardians. Just like many other groups.

A few meters from them was Kal El, also known as Superman or simply as Clark Kent, the name he had been given on the Earth of his universe.

Next to him was the current version of the being known as the Spectre. Like Darien, Kal El, Alucard, the Sorcerer Doctor Strange or the Grey family, 'she´ was under the strongest of the Guardians. She, no 'It´, was actually an ancient Divine Cosmic Entity. The Spectre was, as some would describe it, the Incarnation of the Wrath of God - Others would call it the 'Angel of Death´ - in it´s home-universe. One especially known Holder had been a man during the 20th Century.

It was an Entity that moved from one mortal host to the other, a bit similar to the Sacred Gears from Issei´s home-world, and bonded with them. The current holder was a 'young´ woman from Universe 002.

Then there was May Parker´s father Peter, who possessed the same kind of powers like herself... and many others.

Super Entities, more `regular´ supernatural being and even nearly 'normal´ people were standing side by side, with no real difference in their organization´s order. Rank under the Guardians was not decided by raw power, but by experience and the role you were fulfilling in the group.

The Guardians like they were now, were in some sense not just a single organization, but a unification of several such groups with similar goals and agendas. While the ancient `Caerleon Group´, that existed for thousands of years and that the Guardians had developed from, was still the core of the organization, other teams like the X-Men and part of the Avengers from Universe 001 or the remains of the Justice League from Universe 003 after they had nearly been wiped out as the being named Darkseid had joined the Lords, now made up a large part of them.

"We have reports of possible sightings of at least two of the Lords in universe 0016," Kal El stated.

"How many worlds are in their direct reach?" the Spectre asked.

"Around a dozen Star Systems in their direct surroundings," he replied, "in that universe alone. And that doesn´t even include their ability to jump to other dimensions or parts of space."

Darien nodded. Of course they could have hold this entire conference telepathically and exchanged the information within seconds. But that would put the members who possessed now or only weak telepathic powers in a weak spot and caused them discomfort. So out of regard for them they did it in the 'usual´ way.

"We will move to confront them if we have to, with enough force to not only challenge them, but protect this places as well," Darien said. "Something else?" he asked.

"There is also the matter of our new recruits from Universe 1125-01," Wolverine spoke up. Beside him were standing May Parker and Steve Rogers. While the first two were dressed in the usual black training gear of the organization, the former super soldier was now wearing a blue colored 'uniform´, that was based on his days in the army and as a superhero.

A few meters beside them was Zero, a.k.a. Lelouch Vi Britannia, a former Prince and strategist, recruited from Universe 0011, along with a few other members.

"The two Exorcists are doing very well," Steve Rogers stated. "We have trained them in our combat-style, including the basics of our ki manipulation."

"And also in the basics of strategic thinking," Lelouch pointed out. "Which isn´t exactly easy given how hard headed our 'recruits´ seem to be. But they are making progress."

"As expected," Darien responded. "But it is not the Exorcists I am thinking about."

"Of course not," Wolverine commented. "You are talking about mine and May´s `charges´, those two Fallen Angels. I have to admit it was really devious of you to put those two with us." He grinned. "After all this is not simply training, it is also a test, right?"

"So tell me, what is your verdict?" Darien asked.

"Shouldn´t you know better than me? You are the Omega Level telepath after all," Logan replied.

"I know that they have no plans to betray us and that they are willing to get along with everything. But that they have also no real conviction and are only here because their former superior had brought them in. I know that they used to look down on humans and some other races, but that they also have started to question some of their beliefs with the recent events," Darien explained. "But you are the ones who have directly interacted with them. So your impressions about their reactions would be better. Now tell me what you think."

"When it comes to their abilities, they are not so bad. Not quite up to our standard yet, at least when it comes to supernatural entities. The guy I am teaching is quite the battle-fanatic by what I have seen." He smirked a bit. "About the rest. I would say they are trying. They are used to thinking that they are better than any not supernaturals. But I think we did a good job of teaching them that this is not necessarily true."

"Good," Darien responded.

"I think the same way," May spoke up. "They are certainly not heroes or saints... by far not, but they are not worse than many others we have recruited over the time. Do you think they realize that you have chosen me and Logan on purpose to test them?"

"I don´t think so," he replied, "and even if they did I am convinced they wouldn´t think much about it. Testing the character of new recruits is nothing unusual. If they had however refused to be trained by a 'mere human´ or if we had detected thoughts of betrayal from them because we had `dared´ to let humans teach them, then it would be clear that they weren´t worthy to join our Order."

"I see," Logan said. "But it looks like they had passed the test."

"Yes they did. That means we will give them a chance," Darien stated.

"Beside that there are also the reports from our agents in the home-universe of our recruits that a pure blood Devil from the Phenex Clan had been kidnapped," Odin pointed out.

"I know, we will keep an eye on this as well. If things are getting worse, we will react," Darien answered.

 **xxxxxxx**

As soon as the last recording had ended, Irina who easily felt more embarrassed than anybody else, had left the room as quickly as she could.

"I am sorry," Gaeriel said to Issei who was just about to go after her. "I had just thought this would be a bit of fun. I had not thought about that she could react like this."

"I know," he replied... just before he ran out of the room, following the girl who had just done the same.

"Irina," he said to her as he found her lying to a wall, after she had run down the stairs at the balcony that led from their rooms in the first floor to the ground level. She didn´t look like she wanted to talk. In fact she looked like she wanted to be left alone. But Issei right now had no intention to let her.

"Is everything alright?" he asked her.

"Ise-kun," she said. "What we have just seen..."

"It is okay," he told her. "What we have seen were just doubles of us from other universes. There is no reason that what they said should have any influence on how things are between us, right?"

"No," Irina suddenly called out, "I mean... What this other Irina said... It - it is the same with me. Issei, I had a crush with you when we were children... and now. I am in love with you. And I want you. Your Fallen Angel girlfriend is completely right," she admitted.

Issei wasn´t quite sure what he should answer. Irina´s feelings weren´t a great surprise. Both Gaeriel and Raynare had already pointed them out to him more than once. But having her actually saying it was a bit different.

"But it is not only that. I am an Exorcist Issei. I was thought that Devils, Fallen Angels and other `evil´ creature are my enemies. And now I see you again after years and you are part of a group that is working with Fallen Angels and with Devils. We are with these people for over a week and I have to admit I actually like most of them.

And not only that... you are with a Fallen Angel who says she is your girlfriend... one who has killed you... and it just hurts me everytime I see her close to you. But then she said that she is actually willing to share and... But I am sure the Church would not be exactly happy about this either," she continued to talk while Issei just stood there and listened. "Damn it, I am not sure about anything anymore," she exclaimed and banged her head lightly against the wall behind her.

"But I don´t think I even care anymore," Irina stated. "Issei-kun, I want you. Please take me right here."

"Now it seems we are actually getting somewhere," they heard a voice coming from. Raynare was standing on the balcony above them, lying against the railing.

"But don´t you think your girlfriend should have her turn first Issei-kun?"

She jumped off, using her wings to glide to the ground.

"You have been riling her up the whole time on purpose," Issei realized, accusing her as she landed in front of them.

"My my, very perspective of you," Raynare responded.

"You have been playing me?" Irina called out a bit shocked.

"I just wanted you to admit your feelings," Raynare shrugged with her shoulders, "and you did. Of course I had to push you a bit. But it worked. Or do you regret confessing to Issei?"

Irina was dumbstruck by the question, but she just shook her head.

"Never," she replied.

"Good."

"Now hold up just a sec..." Issei wanted to say something.

"What Issei-kun, you always said you wanted a harem," Raynare smiled at him, "and here you have two volunteers who are willing... in every way. I think it is now on you to respond."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Seven days later_

They were gone... Darien, Alucard, Spectre, Kal El, Jean and Madelyne, all of them. All of them had left to a different dimension for a possible confrontation with the Lords.

This was her chance. If she wanted to leave without being seen or answering any questions, then it was now.

To be honest, she had her doubts about running off like that without even noticing anybody. But in this case she couldn´t help herself, she admitted. Not when **he** had returned. She just had to go and see with her own eyes.

She was just about to activate the device on her armpit that would activate one of the dimensional portals.

"So you just want to leave, without telling anyone," she heard a voice.

"Odin?" she asked, recognizing him. "I should have known that someone like you would notice me."

He nodded.

"I was not the only one who managed to sense you, despite you trying to conceal yourself. I am just the one who offered to talk to you. So you want to go... unauthorized and without anyone backing you up?"

"I just have to. He is out there. I have to go after him to find out what he is doing," she claimed.

"And then you will do what?" Odin asked her. "You know he had been more powerful than you 16 years ago, even before he received his Sacred Gear." Gaeriel winced a bit at this statement. "And he is for sure more powerful than you now."

"I am just trying to locate him. Then I will find out what he is doing... and... and I will report it then."

"That is no reason not to take help with you right away," Odin responded. "What is if he finds you first? What if you are walking into an ambush?"

"I..." she tried to answer.

"Gaeriel, you are not trying to desert us, do you?" he asked.

"What? No. I just... It is just something I should take care of by myself," she replied.

"But you can´t. Crocel is too powerful for you and it is unlikely that he will be alone. Gaeriel, are you sure that you can trust your own judgement here? What if you get captured? You remember the last time he got to you? How many people lost her life the last time because of it?"

Gaeriel visible froze.

"I... Why do you have to bring that up?" she asked. "I was forgiven for what happened."

"Gaeriel, if you don´t forget about this foolishness, I will tell your recruits the truth about you and Crocel... and I mean all of it," he warned her.

"You can´t," she said.

"Believe me, I can. Maybe I should do that anyway. So far none of it had said anything because it wasn´t necessary. Nothing suggested that your recruits and Alyk Crocel would even cross paths. But now, if you go after him by yourself you will not only endanger yourself... you could pull your entire new team into this."

"I won´t. They will stay here till the challenge and then..." she stated.

"And you think they will just stay out of it, that they won´t try to help you?"

She cringed.

"You shouldn´t let them," she said.

"I shouldn´t let **you** go in the first place," the old man responded. "I have seen too many teammates, friends and family members die over thousands of years to just watch how another one throws her life away."

"Listen, I... There is not telling where Alyk is right now or what he is doing to harm our cause. And the others have their hands full with the sightings of the Lords. You said it yourself, he and I we have a history. He might try to go after me. Isn´t that a good chance to lure him out? Please, will you listen what I have to say?"

"You might be right in this point," Odin admitted. "But that doesn´t mean you are right about the rest. I still think I should have some doubts about your judgement. But I will listen," he said.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Universe 1125-06, some time later_

Gaeriel was once again in the town of Kuoh. But it wasn´t the same Kuoh she had visited before. By the information she had gathered so far, in first line by questioning random students, the entire Devil peerage of Rias Gremory that was known as the Occult Research Club had been murdered. The only survivor had been Issei Hyoudou, who had joined them just a short time before. So they had truly turned him in this world.

She would had tried to question one of the Devils themselves. It would not have been exactly easy to use mental powers on another supernatural being, but it would have been a chance.

In the end however it wasn´t necessary. She already knew who had done it.

Just like she had predicted he had found her, just before she had entered this universe. She had not taken the direct way but crossed one other dimension. Just in case another of her comrades beside Odin decided to follow her.

Alyk, no he was Crocel to her now, had appeared right in front of her, just a short time before she tried to form the portal that brought her here. She remembered the words with that he had greeted her... _"_ _Gaeriel my Angel, it is wonderful to see you again,"_ as if everything in the past had not even happened. As if he hadn´t misled her, caused her to do horrible things and then betrayed her.

Now she was standing in the park, not far from the place she had met Issei for the first time and thinking about what she had found out so far.

"You," she suddenly heard a voice calling out to her, a voice she knew all too well.

Issei. She turned around to him. He was standing here in the park, glaring at her with a mixture of distrust and anger. But it was not the Issei she knew. She could feel the essence of a Devil in him. This was the Issei of this world.

"Fallen Angel," he said, "I heard you have been asking questions about me?"

Damn it, she thought. She had been too careless.

* * *

 **Authors Notes: The numbering of the different universes is based on the order the Guardians would have discovered them. So Universe 001 is their home-world, 003 is for Example the a world of DC comics.** **With Lelouch Vi Brittannia from Code Geass for example, I have placed a little joke here. Since Japan had been renamed Area 11 in his story, his world is numbered Universe 11.**

 **The Spectre is beside Kal El/Superman and Darkseid another known DC character.**

 **The worlds based on Highschool DxD have all a variation of the number 1125. The `Guardian´ universe is 1125-01, the first similar one they had found, the world where the ORC was killed for example is 1125-06 and the universe of `Gods of Darkness´ would be Universe 1125-05.**

 **The two integrated scenes in this chapter are once again from `Heart of a Dragon´ and from `A man´s Heart´. Both from Kyuubi Gohan.**

 **Reviews:**

 **Saint 14: I don´t know much about the story of Metal Gear. But maybe, in some later chapter, who knows?  
**

 **Guest: Lemons will be included. Well, I will try to develop the other characters some more in the future. For Irina was simply not so much time and a great part of the last chapters was mostly used to build up the first `Guardian´ parallel world.  
**


	13. Chapter 13: New Mission

**Chapter 13  
**

 _World of the Guardians_

Issei and his team were now in another training campaign. A group consisting of himself, Raynare, Irina and Xenovia were right now involved in another fight with the `golems´ - it was their four men group against 30 of them.

In opposite to the beginning of their training however, where even one of the liveless clay-bodies was somewhat of a challenge- that alone because of their regeneration ability. But now they were cutting through their opponents like weed. Irina just cut another one in half. The chestnut haired Exorcist, was using her new learned ability in ki manipulation negating the regeneration of the golem.

Beside that she and her partner had also been given some additional parts of equipment. For example, a new `improved´ fighting gear that Xenovia was wearing. This one was actually a very `special´ design.

It´s structure was based on the infamous `symbiote´ species that existed in Universe 001 and some other realities. This race consisted pretty much of a thick liquid black or reddish colored mass, that could shape itself into many possible forms and normally bounded itself to a intelligent living host of any possible species, living off on their emotions, especially their aggressions.

The suit itself that the Exorcist was wearing was not alive in any way. But it´s material and characteristics were based on the creature´s abilities. The tissue could not only regenerate itself if damaged, but also directly followed the mental orders of its `carrier´. Right now part of it had taken the form of a shield on Xenovia´s left arm that protected her from their opponent´s attacks. On her wrist was a small device that connected the material directly with her mind.

Irina however had declined as she had been offered such a suit. She had been calling it `freaky´. Kalawarner´s reaction had been in a similar way but a lot milder as she had been shown some of the prototypes. Dohnaseek on the other hand had been interested and had as well taken one for himself.

Beside that Issei and Raynare were now carrying other, a bit similar looking, devices on their underarms, that however served a completely different purpose. It connected them to the Guardian´s interdimensional transport system and allowed all of them to conjure and open a portal at will. Even if they were not able to do it by their own powers... yet. And very soon, they had been told, they would receive even more equipment and weapons.

In this moment Issei was standing back to back with Raynare and Irina, while the golems were once again trying to surround them. Issei remembered what had happened between them all one week ago.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Seven days earlier_

"I think it is now on you to respond," Raynare had said to them.

Issei was a little stunned, he admitted. Raynare, he thought, you sneaky deceptive...

"I will make it a bit easier for you," she interrupted his thoughts. And turned into the form of Yuuma.

"Issei-kun, please come to me," Raynare said to him sweetly, her voice sounding exactly like on their date and reached out with her hand. "I love you." And in opposite to what she might have said in the beginning of their relationship, he knew her words to be true.

`Yuuma´, this was the same girl who was his first girlfriend, his first date... the girl he had fallen in love with. But at the same time she was the Fallen Angel Raynare. Still during the last week, he had started to see Raynare in another light as well.

She began to lay her arms around him.

And on top of that Irina was standing right next to her, with pretty much the same expression on her face... and `Yuuma´ was as it looked all too willing to share.

"Come on Issei-kun," she said, "have you not told me a week ago that you wanted to fondle my breasts? Now is your chance."

He was still standing there, as if he was somehow unable to move even a single limb.

"Issei... your hands on my boobs, where they belong... now," `Yuuma´ practically ordered him.

Before Issei even fully knew it he had been moving forward and was now holding Raynare´s/Yuuma´s breasts.

Irina was standing right next to them, looking as if she wanted to join in, but still hesitated.

He let his hands glide over Yuuma´s breasts, grabbed them, stroked and caressed them. He had dreamed for long of actually doing this with a girl´s boobs. And the Fallen Angel even seemed to let out a quiet mourn.

"Issei," she said.

But then suddenly he was starting to feel cold like ice.

 _`Will you die for me?´_ it shot through his head... again. Damn it, he thought.

He felt himself moving backwards, his arms leaving hers. The look on his face turned into one of pain.

"Issei?" Raynare asked now.

"I am sorry," he said.

"I am the one who is sorry," Raynare said. "I am the one who has caused this in the first place and... I promise will do anything to help you."

"Ise-kun, please don´t leave us like that," Irina told him.

"I am sorry," he just repeated.

He turned around and started to move away.

`Great job Issei, real smooth,´ he thought to himself a moment later as he was walking through the corridors, `running away from two girls who love you and who were literally throwing themselves at you... Even if one of them is your killer. But you had already decided to forgive her, didn´t you? So why are you running away now?´

 **["Don´t be so hard on yourself partner,"]** he heard Ddraig´s voice. **["A trauma like yours is not easy to overcome. Believe me, I have seen men who thought they were invincible dealing with such a thing worse than you do."]**

"You mean some of your past hosts?" Issei questioned.

 **["Not only them,"]** the Dragon replied.

No, not just them. It had not been easy... by far not, he remembered. Being defeated along with Albion by the leaders of the three Factions stripped of his body and sealed inside this `Sacred Gear´. Imprisoned, very likely for all eternity. It had taken him centuries to truly accept this.

Even harder to accept had been another fact, that it had served him right. He and the White Dragon had been fighting each other without any restraint back then... with absolutely no consideration for all the other creatures that were weaker than them, only caring about winning. A single missed attack could have caused global devastation. Their fight could have so easily destroyed their world many times over.

It had taken him a long time and many humbling experiences - much of it trapped with hosts who cared about nothing than to use his power for their own interests - to realize just how selfish and arrogant they both had been.

 **xxx**

Issei was still walking through the corridors of the incredible large complex... and this wing of the mansion was practically empty. He went outside and decided to take one round around the building.

After a minute, he suddenly heard noises coming from around the corner. But he didn´t really pay it any mind and just continued on his way. He was sunken too deep in his own thoughts.

Still what he saw as he moved around the corner surprised even him. It was Dohnaseek and Kalawarner.

He was holding her up against the wall.

Her purple jacket was opened and her large breasts were hanging out for all - in this case him - to see. Her slip was pulled down and hanging on one of her legs... that she had both wrapped around his body, while he had his pants pulled down and was thrusting into her in a quick pace. Through both their movements, her very small skirt was lifted up in a nearly regular rhythm and Issei got a good look at part of Kalawarner´s naked ass... and even of her pussy and the male Fallen Angel´s dick pushing inside her.

Normally a sight like this would have more than excited him, but he was too surprised to even react.

"W-what in the world are you two doing," he stammered.

"What do you think it looks like boy," Dohnaseek replied.

"Ahh," Kalawarner tried to say between moans, "you see - ahh - I had just realized that I never really thanked Dohnaseek here for defending me after our comrade betrayed us. So after Gaeriel´s little show was over, I offered to show him my gratitude."

"You call **this**... `showing someone your gratitude´?" Issei asked, trying quite unsuccesfully to suppress a perverted grin.

"Yes,... - Oh Yes... Ahh - ..." she answered, interrupted by her own gasps and moans... while Dohnaseek continued to fuck her. "By the way, I remember you played a great role in saving me as well," she suggested. "Would you like a round on me too? If what this girl in the recording said is true about the size of your manhood, I wouldn´t say no."

"You slut," Dohnaseek commented drily as he thrust into her once again.

"But... Ohh... if I think about it, Raynare would not be very happy if I slept with her `boyfriend´ before she had her turn, right Issei? So maybe another time then." She grinned.

"I - I will leave you alone then. See you later," Issei said quite distraught... and turned around to leave.

He felt hotter and hornier now than ever before that he could remember, having just gotten a major look at Kalawarner´s large oppai and her ass and on top of that seeing actually... actually her being fucked. A part of him... okay, a very large part... had wanted nothing more than push Dohnaseek aside and take his place. Right now his mind was literally being swarmed with boobs and sex.

What the hell was he doing? he asked himself. Just a few meters back there had been two great looking girls who actually loved him offering themselves to him... and he had been running away.

So what if one of them had killed him. Raynare/Yuuma had already offered to make up for it. And he would make sure that she will. Issei´s mind was making loops at the thought what he would be doing with Raynare for the rest of the night.

As he had, a minute later, returned to the spot where he had left the two girls behind, they were still standing there, looking both a bit uneasy. Well, it was not every day that a pervert was running out on you when you asked him to have sex with you.

 **"Yuuma,"** he called out as soon as he saw her, the eyes of both girls turning to him.

He threw his arms around her and pushed her against the wall behind her... and started to kiss her hard.

"Raynare," he said.

Issei realized that he had her in the same position he had seen Kalawarner in, a few minutes ago. Good. Very good.

He let his hands wander over her body for a few moments, opened the buttons of her blouse, so that her breasts and her bra became visible. Then he placed one of them on her butt, grabbed it a bit... which caused another moan coming from her... and began to pull her slip down. He was actually thankful that the clothes she was wearing - the same as on their date - included a miniskirt... easy access and all. Of course what she was wearing in her true form was probably even easier.

He realized that he himself had become so hard that it was getting painful. So he opened his trousers.

Irina had a sad look on her face that he was so far only paying attention to Raynare. She was about to make a step forward to join them, but was then still too shy to do that... and was then beginning to turn around to leave the two lovers by themselves. Damn it, she only thought.

"Stop!" she heard Issei´s voice just as she was about to leave. "Where do you think you are going?"

"I..." she wanted to say something. Instead she saw how he reached out his hand and drew her closer to both of them. "Issei... what are you doing?" Irina asked.

"Remember," he said, "I am a wild beast of sexual desire," repeating the words of the other Irina from the recording, "and I want you both to satisfy me."

"O-okay," she replied, trying very unsuccessfully to hide the fact that there was nothing she would rather do than that.

Issei placed Irina right next to Raynare, draw her into a kiss and touched both of them alternately. Issei took his member out completely and let his pants fall down. Raynare only grinned.

"I will do it now," he said to `Yuuma´ as he positioned himself in front of her.

"I see this Kiryuu girl wasn´t exaggerating," she commented as she got a good look at what he had been hiding in his trousers. "I guess I will have this inside of me in a few moments, right?" She now wrapped her legs around him and crossed them behind his back.

"You guess right," Issei commented. He placed himself at her entrance and pushed forward.

A small part of him wanted to ram it into her as hard as he could, hurting her like she had hurt him. Another one just wanted to hold her in his arms. The greatest part however just wanted to play with her body the entire night... and that was exactly what he was going to do.

For the beginning he started to move slow. For a moment he saw a visible painful wince on her face, but it passed very quickly.

"Now, how does my pussy feel like Issei-kun?" she whispered to him teasingly a moment later.

"Great. It feels great," he replied. "So tight and warm." Issei admitted he felt like in heaven. "I didn´t knew that a bitch can feel so good inside," he commented a bit sharper, his anger at her taking a hold once again.

This caused a painful look from her for a quite different reason.

"I am sorry," he said a moment later.

"I told you, don´t say this. We both know, what I did was unforgivable. That you are even giving me a chance is... Ahh," she suddenly moaned. "If I remember right, you are just in the process of fucking me right now. So let us continue." She smirked now, having obviously returned to her `usual self´.

He started to move inside her once again, giving her another few thrusts.

"By the way Ise-kun," Raynare grinned at him, "now that you have `stabbed your spear into me´ too, doesn´t it means we are even now?" she asked him suggestively.

"You are so vulgar," Irina yelled at her, partly out of embarrassment and part out of jealousy.

"Says the girl who wants nothing more than be in my place," the Fallen Angel commented.

"I - ... " Irina hesitated a bit. "Yes, please Issei, do me too... right now. I - I just can't take it anymore."

"Take what?" Raynare asked playfully.

"You know that exactly," Irina growled. "This is your fault. You are the one who had been riling me up and teasing me the entire time. And now you are the one who is being..."

"Oh, you mean the `holy warrior´ is horny like hell?" she asked.

"Yes goddamnit," she called out. "Oh father please forgive me for sullying your name," she chanted a moment later as she fully realized what she just said.

"Okay Issei-kun, I think you should `pay some attention´ to Irina now. She has truly earned it with her patience," Raynare stated and gave him a short kiss. "When you are at it, you can also compare how a good girl feels like compared to me," she said with a grin.

"Bitch," he whispered to her once again, what only caused her smile to deepen.

Issei turned to the other girl. "Irina," he said and took her into his arms. He opened her shirt and began to remove her clothes very quickly. While they were making out, they were now moving in the direction of Irina´s room, that was the closest by.

So far they had actually been doing it right on the corridor, just like Dohnaseek and Kalawarner did. Not that Issei had a particular problem with that. But they had every intention to spend the entire night together... and an actual room and an actual bed would be clearly better.

As he entered Irina - just a short distance **before** they had reached the room - he was even more careful than with Raynare and he started to move inside her a few moments later.

"And, does it feel any different?" Raynare who was walking next to them asked.

"Not really. You both feel wonderful," he answered.

"Issei," Irina moaned.

He carried her inside the room, his dick still buried inside her... and let them both fall into the bed, where he continued to `do´ her. Meanwhile he let one of his hands glide over Raynare´s body, who took a place right next to them.

"Issei, I love you," Irina said with him lying on top of her.

They continued like this for a while.

A short time later Irina was on all fours in front of the bed, while Issei was thrusting into his childhood friend from behind. He admitted that she was incredible cute in this position, even more than usually.

A moment later he felt himself tightening up.

"Irina, I am close," he told her.

"I am too," she replied. "Please."

He didn´t need to be told and increased the speed. A second later he felt as he released himself deep inside Irina. At the same time, she cried out loud in pleasure.

As it was over, he let her sink to the ground.

"I guess our little Exorcist is feeling better now," Raynare commented, turning back into her true from, her wings spreading behind her back.

"But I still have a lot to make up to you, right Issei-kun?" She kneeled down in front of him and took his member in her mouth.

Less than ten minutes later, he and Raynare had sex once again. This time in her true form. It was a bit strange, how she actually wrapped her wings around him while they were doing it - like a scene from a bizarre mythological picture.

As Issei woke up the next morning, next to the completely naked Irina and Raynare, he then at first fully realized that he was now no longer a virgin - a long time dream come true at least - and second, that he did it with not only one but two beautiful girls.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Present_

Their fight had just ended, the four of them had completely obliterated a group of golems seven times their own number. For the last part of the fight, Issei had used **Transfer**... for a few moments, an ability of his Sacred Gear, that allowed him to give a bit of its power to others and boost his comrades fighting strength even more.

Just after it was over, they saw that Odin, the man called Wolverine and Steve Rogers in his blue `Captain America´ uniform had appeared. Beside them were a few others they didn´t recognize. But they were obviously soldiers, dressed in the same black gears some members of their own group did for their training.

"Odin," Issei greeted him.

"Very impressive. You have all made great progress. So much is clear," the god replied. "There is something we have to talk about." His expression turned serious. "Gaeriel is gone."

"Gone? What do you mean gone?" Issei asked. "She told us that she just wanted some time for herself."

"That is one way to put it," Odin commented. "An old enemy has been sighted. Someone who she has a history with."

"And she just wants to go after this guy by herself?" he wanted to know.

"That is not the smartest thing to do," Xenovia pointed out. "And haven´t you told us that most of the others are on a mission in some other universe?"

"And that is coming from you? You are probably the most headstrong person I ever met," Kiba commented.

"That is coming from the guy who stubbornly refuses to tell me what his issue is with the Excalibur's" she countered.

Kiba´s face became unreadable.

"Let us not talk about this any longer," he said simply.

Xenovia knew there was more about this story. But every time it was mentioned, he blocked it up. Still, she wasn´t completely clueless anymore. During their training she had heard the Guardians mention something to Kiba, something about the spirits of deceased souls following him... or clinging to him. Whatever it was, something terrible must have happened in Kiba´s past.

Well, it wasn´t the topic right now anyway.

Gaeriel´s disappearance was.

 _ **xxx**_

"It seems that Gaeriel is not exactly rational when it comes to this special person," Odin admitted. "Like I said, they have a history together. I suspect you would like to help her?"

"You are damn right I will," Issei responded. "I owe Gaeriel a lot." In more than one way, he thought.

"I see," Odin stated. "You should know, there are a lot of things about Gaeriel that you are not aware about. But if you decide to go after her now, you will find out about them. This thing might change the way how you see her."

"It doesn´t matter," he answered.

"I agree with Issei here," Raynare claimed. "Even if I certainly didn´t always liked her methods. Gaeriel´s actions had in the end done much to help us. Isn´t that right Asia?" she looked at the former Nun, who was standing at the sidelines.

"Raynare-sama is right," Asia said. "In a way you could say that she had saved both of us... well, at least in a sense," she stated.

"I am going in every case," Issei stated. "And I will take everyone along who wants to."

"This is what I had expected from you," Odin told them. "In that case I suggest that you end your training two days earlier. But before we go, there are a few last things."

"We?" Irina asked.

"Yes, I will be coming with you," the North God informed them.

"But what about us?" Rias questioned. "The Rating Game we are training for is set in two days and if we just skip the rest of our training..."

"You have all made as much progress as could be expected," Odin replied. "Two days more would not make a great difference. And you Devils especially have already learned all what we could teach you."

"You mean all you wanted to teach us," Rias pointed out. "We could be stronger, if you just thought us the same techniques you have shown the others," she stated angrily.

"We have told you our reasons. The techniques you are talking about are only known to a limited number of individuals. The members of our Order are under them. Be honest, if we taught you them, could you resist showing them the rest of your Faction? This could in the long run upset the political balance in your world."

"But you do trust these Fallen Angels with it," she hissed.

"These Fallen Angels have actually joined our organization," he reminded her. "We have taught you the basics of our ki manipulation and helped you realize more of your own potential. You can hardly ask for more given the situation between our Factions. Or that your brother tried to blackmail us into cooperation. By the way, we have hardly taught the two known as Dohnaseek and Kalawarner more than we did your group."

"But you thought them to Gaeriel and Raynare."

"Raynare has passed several tests we have passed on her... the first one not to kill Asia... and Gaeriel has been a member of our organization for decades," he reminded her. "Either way, you all have made as much progress as could be hoped for two weeks of training. Even if we have thought you some of this `special techniques´, it would have also caused you to loose time to work on your other abilities. And we both know you all have a lot of unused potential."

"Okay," she finally responded, giving in.

"Good," the god said. "We will leave in a few minutes. But before that..." He made a gesture and the landscape around them changed as they were transported back from the trainings-dimension to the regular world.

They were standing in the middle of the great weapon-storage hall.

"Before we go, our new recruits will be given weapons they will carry for the time being," he announced with a light smile on his face. "Issei, Raynare, Asia, I guess you have already received the `gift´ Jean and Madelyne wanted to provide you with?" he questioned.

"We did," Issei responded.

"You can say that," Raynare remarked, remembering a short exchange she and Asia had with Madelyne two days ago.

"Issei Hyoudou," Odin announced, "the weapon that had been chosen for you is this... the Sword of Cronos."

One of the soldiers who had accompanied them brought a blade. They all realized that the weapon was radiating an aura that rivalled the most powerful Holy Swords, while it however was not holy itself... not in the regular sense.

"This sword is one of the oldest relics of this Order," the North God stated. "It is said to be forged from the sichel the Titan Cronos had once used to slay his tyrannical father itself. A weapon that is said to cut through time itself. This however is actually a simplification," he explained. "When you have been able to unlock it´s power, it will help you to create and resist time- and transdimensional powers on a very high level. It will also allow you to create portals without the help of the hand device you are currently wearing. Beside that it might also help you to stabilize and control your own power if you learn to use it correctly."

"Thank you," Issei said impressed, taking the weapon.

"For you Murayama," he addressed her, "we have another sword. This one is special in it´s own way. Darien had especially asked for you to have it."

"Really?" the girl questioned.

"Yes, he thinks that having it will help you in your development. It is not quite as old or powerful as Issei´s blade. But he has a certain connection to it and he believes it will help you in controlling the power you have inherited from him and Issei."

She nodded.

"Raynare," he said, "you have already received your `true weapon´, but we still have a small gift for you. This is one Holy Dagger out of our arsenal," he stated as one of the solders handed a small blade to her. "We believe it will be useful to you."

A few moments later they handed similar weapons to Dohnaseek and Kalawarner, who accepted them silently.

"Irina and Xenovia, you already possess your weapons of choice. But we have another gift for you," he said. At his mental comment, something appeared in his hand. It looked like a small globe of energy. Of course that was only a visible representation of what it truly was.

"Would you please show me your Excalibur Fragments?" he asked.

The two Exorcists were exchanging a short look. But they had decided a long time ago that they trusted these people and lifted up their swords.

"What you see here is a gift from the spirit of Merlin himself," Odin informed them. "He has agreed to leave for some time two small shards of his soul to you." He moved his hand and the tiny globe he had been holding split into two and the two halved moved towards them and merged with the two `Excaliburs´ they were holding.

"His spirit will strengthen the power of your blades and his wisdom will be there for you, whenever you call on it," he said.

"I - I don´t know what I should say," Xenovia stated, as she realized what just happened. "This is just incredible." A part of Merlin´s spirit was now inside of their blades. That meant both of them were now practically Sacred Gears in addition to holy weapons.

"We are allies," Odin just reminded them. "Now, then let us go."

He started to summon a portal right in front of them, that would bring them back to their own world.

As soon as they had all stepped through, they saw that they had indeed returned. They were all standing right in front of the old mansion, that Issei´s group had chosen as their base.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Universe 1125-06_

Things were not going like expected... and that was an understatement. Gaeriel knew she only had her carelessness to thank for this.

"Tell me Fallen Angel, what are you doing here? What do you know about the death of the Occult Research Club?" he nearly shouted. "Why were you questioning my schoolmates about it?"

"I - ..." Gaeriel admitted she didn´t quite know what to say.

"Tell me," he shouted, while he was powering up.

"I - I have heard about it," she told him a partial truth. "I had a suspicion who could be responsible... and wanted to find out more."

" **Him!** " the alternate Issei´s voice now became a dangerous growl. "What do you know about him?" he yelled.

Just great. Telling him that wasn´t exactly the best idea, she thought.

But telling this version of Issei any more would probably not be a good thing either. There was a reason why the Guardians were working in secret in most universe after all. If they acted too open or direct, it was practically an invitation to their enemies to do the same thing... and it might lead to complete destruction.

Beside that she had truly no wish to tell this Issei - or any other - about her personal relationship with Crocel.

"I - I cannot tell you much actually," she lied. "I have met this guy once who was targeting High-Class Devils... and as I heard about this, I thought he could be responsible. But I wasn´t sure."

"Yes... and because of **just** that you came here and start questioning students?" It was clear that he didn´t believe her. "Try another one."

She admitted it hadn´t been the best lie either. She had just made it up on the spot. And at the moment she had truly other worries on her mind.

"If you won´t tell me Fallen Angel, I will force you," he hissed, while running forward and trying to land a punch on her with his Sacred Gear on his left arm.

He was **very** fast, she realized. She moved out of the way and at the same time used all her energy to shield herself.

His blow missed her, but just barely.

As she turned around however, she saw that Issei had used her short distraction to start charging the Dragon Shot technique. Damn it, she thought. He was good, she admitted. It wasn´t every day that someone acted this sneaky who could by the looks barely contain his own rage.

But right now exactly this was causing her serious trouble.

Issei turned around fired, while was still less than two meters away from her. Her chances to evade were very bad, she knew. So she put everything into shielding herself.

The shot hits her at the shoulder. Just as predicted she had not managed to completely dodge it. But her own shielding, along with her ki control was stopping the worst of it. Yet it still caused some damage.

Issei was already making his next move.

"Tell me what you know about that man," he shouted, all pretenses of restraint were gone now as he attacked her again.

This version of Issei was strong, if one remembered that he had only activated his Sacred Gear a few weeks ago. Not quite as strong as the one from her world, but more than strong enough to be a threat to her.

Her greatest advantage was her ki control and her fighting abilities. This was however countered by the fact that she simply did not want to harm him. She just wanted to get away without having to tell him too much for his own good.

The sad thing was that he obviously wasn´t going to be cooperative here.

"This is the last chance Fallen Angel," he said to her. "Tell me what you know and I might let you live."

 **["Balance Breaker."]** She heard Draig´s voice a moment later and watched how the typical red scaled armor formed itself around the alternate Issei.

It could have hardly been any worse.

"Okay, I will tell you what I know," she called out. "Just let us sit down and talk about this calmly."

Issei looked at her for a few moments, saying nothing, torn between his common sense and his wish to find out something about his friend's killer and his burning rage towards her and her entire race.

But once again luck wasn´t exactly on Gaeriel´s side.

A group of people arrived in this moment, running towards them. Gaeriel recognized three of them as members of Sona Sitri´s peerage. The other two however...

"Irina? Xenovia?" she exclaimed, recognizing the two Exorcists.

"What are you doing here Fallen Angel?" Irina Shidou asked. "And how do you know my name?"

Of course, she thought. These were the Xenovia and Irina of this word, who came to this town for some reason. The only question was why were they with the Devils? But that didn´t matter right now.

"I have been thinking about it... and I rather take my leave," Gaeriel stated.

The sudden appearance of the others might actually serve as a useful distraction for her. She used the device on her arm to form a portal right behind her. Just like the ones of the `symbiote suits´, it was being activated by her thoughts alone.

"You think you can simply get away?" Issei yelled as he saw what she was doing. He and Irina jumped into her direction nearly at the same time.

 **xxxxxxx**

Mittelt was currently walking through the area around the castle that had become her `home´ during the last few weeks. She could not exactly say that she felt comfortable here, not by far.

In the time she had been here, she had seen much... much that in the same manner terrified her and turned her stomach around.

The worst thing were the humans, she had to admit. Not that she had ever been particular fond of that race, but... Since she had arrived, she had been watching what was happening to the people who were being send here.

She had heard about experimentation and other things. She hadn´t seen exactly what was happening to them. But she had seen the bodies being carried away again and again... nearly a dozen since she had arrived here, she thought.

She didn´t like what was going on here, not at all. But it was still better to go along with it than dying by the hands of the others. It wasn´t the first time that she was threatened with this after all, she thought about Sartael.

She knew the one who was directly responsible for the experimentation was the human called Valper Galilei. Something about the guy just gave her the creeps. He could even rival Freed Selzen in the creepy area.

She had heard about a High-Class Devil that was being held somewhere in this building. Not that she had actually seen it. She knew the only reason that this one was still alive was the worth as a potential hostage. Not that she cared about what happened to a filthy Devil. No, it was more the talk about, `using her as leverage for the new war´ that truly unsettled her.

How in the world had she managed to get involved into this? she asked herself.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The `headquarter´ of Issei´s team_

They had just returned, but were realizing quickly that they were not alone.

"So he is here," Odin stated. "Just as expected. Leave down your weapons, he told them. "He is on our side."

"Who is?" Xenovia asked a bit confused.

"Since you all have spent the last twelve days in our world, Issei´s and Murayama´s parents had been told by Sona Sitri that they had been on a school trip. Darien and some of our other leaders however thought it would be good to make sure about their safety as well," Odin informed them. "So we decided to send one of our members to this word to have an eye on your families here while you were gone.

The Lords would, for the most part, not order an attack on relatives of new recruits. Not because of any compassion of course, but because they would simply consider such a tactic beneath them."

"Sadly, there are others in the ranks of the enemy, who have less pride," a figure who had just appeared leaving the building said to them. "So I came here to make sure."

They all saw him better now. It was a seemingly young man - but of course they knew he could actually be centuries old - with shoulder long black hair and dark clothes. On his neck, they saw, he was wearing a rosario. To that came a very strong holy energy he was radiating.

"Great, another Exorcist," Kiba stated sardonically.

The sheer power that they felt coming from this man however impressed them all and especially frightened the Devils, since as an Exorcist he was practically their natural enemy. One thing was clear however, in comparison to this man, Xenovia and Irina were mere amateurs.

"Grigory," Odin greeted the man, "it is good to see you. There is something we have to talk about. It is about Gaeriel."

"I see," the `young´ man replied. "So she had finally done something stupid, didn´t she?"

"Yes," Odin admitted.

"I guess it was only a question of time," the unknown Exorcist said.

"Hey, don´t talk about Gaeriel like that," Issei addressed him. "She had done much for me and the others here."

"You are Issei Hyoudou, aren´t you?" the man asked.

"Good. That is one of the reasons I accepted this task here. I was interested to meet you after I read the report on you," he smiled. "But I fear you don´t know much about your friend and her past."

"What are you talking about?" Issei asked.

"Well, maybe it is on the time you find out," the man named Grigori said with a look in Odin´s direction.

Before they could say anything else however, they were interrupted.

A portal appeared in front of them and out came - or rather falling out of it - were three people.

Gaeriel was one of them, as they had hoped. But the others... to their surprise, they recognized a second Issei and Irina.

As the three newcomers regained their senses however and took in their surroundings, it was on them to be shocked.

"Issei-kun, where are we?" the second Irina asked him.

Issei Hyoudou, the Devil, remembered this place, it was however something he would rather forget. It was the same mansions where he and the Gremory peerage had been fighting and killing a Stray Devil together. It was here where they had been working together the first time.

This however was nothing compared to the feeling he got as he saw the group that was now standing in front of them.

Rias, Asia and the others, alive... That was impossible. But there was also standing another version of himself, right in front of him. It was like he was looking in a mirror. There was also Xenovia and... a second Irina?

"How can that be?" gasped the Irina right next to him.

But then he felt an incredible rush of anger as he saw another face in the crowd. But that couldn´t be.

" **You!** " he screamed. He felt himself instantly rushing towards her, without even thinking. And he activated his Balance Breaker once again.

Raynare had barely time to prepare herself for the attack. This Issei, she could sense, was a Devil. It was not hard to figure out what he was so angry about. She materialized her new second pair of wings and released her full power and concentrated all her energy.

If it hadn´t been for the training of the last two weeks she knew, she would be dead. She would have died before one of her comrades even had the chance to react.

But now. He was charging her with his bare hands. Or rather the hands of his armor. She dodged the first blow he send at her and then blocked the second one with two lightspears which she had formed with both hands, backed up with concentrated ki energy.

But against a fully realized Balance Breaker she was far from sure that it would be enough. Her power had grown immensely through her training and the special `help´ she received. Still against the boosting ability and a completely enraged enemy?

Suddenly she felt even more energy flowing through her body. She realized that `her´ Issei was using Transfer to assist her and she send him a thankful look.

The others had meanwhile surrounded them after recovering from the surprise and were ready to subdue the completely enraged Red Dragon Emperor.

Beside that, there was still a risk that he might actually drift into Juggernaut Drive with his level of anger. Even if he was still relatively new to his power and his abilities didn´t seem fully developed yet. There was still a risk. They should better take him down quickly, they all knew.

"That is enough boy," Odin said to him. "Stand down now or we will stop you."

But the alternate Issei didn´t look as if he was willing to listen.

"It is you, isn´t it?" her opponent yelled at her. "You are behind this. How did you come back to life? Are you trying to play with my mind again? I won´t **let** you."

He boosted his power once more several times.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," she answered.

This caused only a growl from him and another attack, which she blocked again. The others reacted instantly and moved to take him down. Issei was the first to arrive. He tackled his double and pushed him aside.

"Why are you helping her?" Devil Issei shouted, mostly ignoring that he was talking with another version of himself.

"I know you have your reasons to be angry at her, damn it I know," Issei responded. "But calm down for now. You are not thinking straight."

Then suddenly, it was over.

 **["Reset."]** they heard Ddraig´s voice and he fell out of Balance Breaker and sank to his knees. After the clash with Gaeriel and having already used Balance Breaker before, he was now simply at his limit.

"Don´t worry, we won´t hurt him," Irina said as she approached her own double. "It is nice to meet you... well, me," she greeted her counterpart.

 **xxxxxxx**

It was just a few minutes later that they were now all sitting together.

They had given their two `guests´ a few explanations about what happened and where exactly they were.

The other Issei still didn´t look exactly happy, but he accepted it, at least for the time being. He knew he was completely outmatched against all of them anyway.

He was still sending them all uneasy looks, even Asia. And at Raynare and the other Fallen Angels, including Gaeriel, he was looking with pure Malice.

"I have gotten important information," Gaeriel was explaining to them in this moment. "Kokabiel is planning to restart the Great war between the Supernatural Factions. For that he is trying to provoke the three races against each other. This is not all. He has restarted the so called Holy Sword Project."

As she had said this, Kiba suddenly froze.

"What?" he asked in complete shock. "How?" he growled.

They all were sending him a curious look. But only the other members of the peerage knew exactly why he reacted like this.

"He is working with a man named Valper Galilei, an excommunicated former Archbishop who was the man responsible for the original project... and by my information he is cooperating with a ring of human slave traders to supply Galilei with human `raw material´ for his experiments. So far none of them had survived."

The others could barely believe what they were hearing. Especially the Fallen Angels under them were shocked.

"Valper Galilei," Kiba whispered the name angrily.

"Kokabiel has a secret fortress in Eastern Europe, where a group of his warriors and Galilei are performing the experiments in secret and are also trying to build up their forces. Their goal is to create an army of artificial Holy Sword wielders and other super warriors for the coming war," she told them. "Besides that, they have also captured a pureblood Devil, a member of the Pheonex Clan to cause aggression between the Devils and the Fallen Angels."

"And how have you gotten all this information so quickly?" the man named Grigori asked her.

She said nothing.

"He told you about it, didn´t he? You have been meeting with Crocel."

"Yes," she finally admitted.

"He is our enemy Gaeriel. You know that as well as any of us. If he told you that, he has a good reason for it," Odin pointed out.

"I know. I know all that. But I could not just pass that information up," she replied.

"Then there is a good chance that we will be walking right into a trap if we follow that information."

"Yes," she answered.

"We will inform the others about your past with Crocel," he told her. "If you expect them to go into a battle based on information that you provided on his word, then they have a right to know."

"I understand," she said. She looked downwards. "But I have one request. Asia, I want to tell her myself."

Issei took a good look at her. He had never seen Gaeriel as depressed as now. What in the world could be getting at her like this?

"What do you want to tell me?" the former Nun asked, a bit afraid of the answer.

"Asia... I... about what I will tell you. I only want you to know that I am sorry. I didn´t know... I hadn´t known that it would come like that."

"Gaeriel?" she asked.

"Come with me," she said. "We will talk alone."

Both of them left the others behind for the moment.

"What do you want to tell us?" Issei asked Odin.

"For the beginning, I want to tell you a story. A story how we have originally discovered this universe - your universe - a long time ago. Our Order decided back then not to interfere directly, unless it would become necessary. If we did, it would only provoke our enemies to do the same thing and endanger your entire world.

We had however decided to recruit some members from your reality as agents to observe this universe. The first member we had recruited was a very promising candidate. This young man had been a member of one of the 72 Pillars of the Underworld, who had decided to leave Devil society."

This part caught especially Rias attention.

"He was a hybrid with Fallen Angel Blood, who had joined us and became our first agent in your world. During one of his first missions, he came into contact with an Angel, who fell in love with him and decided willingly to give up her Divine Protection and leave Heaven to follow him. She as well joined our group a short time later and the two became a pair. That is now nearly a hundred years ago.

The name of this man was Alyk Crocel, a descendant of the Crocel Clan," Odin told them.

They all were looking in the direction where Asia and Gaeriel had just left.

"And I think you can guess who the Angel had been," Odin stated. "For a long time everything went well and these two had been happy... until a bit over 15 years ago. At that time Gaeriel had been leading a special group that our Order had founded and that performed experimental research. In this case they had been looking for ways to remove Sacred Gears from their wielders without killing them in the process. The aim was to allow Sacred Gear users who no longer want their gifts, that made them targets for the entire supernatural world."

Issei´s alternate counterpart looked up for a moment as he heard these words, his expression unreadable.

"Crocel had taken an interest in this project as well and he was eagerly supporting his lover." Odin´s expression turned bleak. "What we didn´t realize at this point was, that Crocel, during one of his last missions, had been corrupted by the enemy and had turned against us. To let you better understand what had happened back then, I will show you..."

Once again the entire place around them seemed to change. But of course it was only an illusion. Odin´s mental powers were showing them pictures from the past.

 _They were now standing - at least in their minds - inside a large room they had never seen before._

 _In front of them they could see a group of people. One of them was Gaeriel, looking nearly the same as now. Right behind her was a group of four humans, three men and a woman. They were obviously scientists, wearing white coats. And standing next to them was..._

"That is **him** ," the alternate Issei growled as he recognized the killer of his friends.

The hatred that was now to see on his face surpassed even his rage at Raynare by far.

 ** _xxx_**

 _"Is everything okay beloved?" they heard the man asking Gaeriel. His voice sounded warm and comforting, quite the opposite of what Issei had seen as he had slaughtered his friends._

 _"Yes, don´t worry," she replied. "It will all work out. I can do this." She smiled._

 _In front of them was another human, fixated at the wall... a young woman._

 _Some of them, especially Issei´s alternate self and Raynare recognized instantly what was going on before them. It was a removal ceremony for a Sacred Gear._

 _"Doctor Argento," she addressed one of the humans next to them, "is everything ready?"_

Issei and most of the other spectators looked up in shock as they heard the name. It couldn´t be.

 _"Both the Sacred Gear and Miss Miyami are in exactly the state we predicted," the man informed her. "By our data everything should work out."_

 _"Good. You can be happy Leon. If we succeed here, you're daughter will one day be able to live a normal life as well. She was born with a Sacred Gear, wasn´t she?"_

 _"Yes, our people have found out a few weeks ago. She is one of the reason why I am helping with your work."_

 _"Exactly," Gaeriel stated. "You don´t have to be afraid Yui," she said to the woman in front of them. "It won´t take long anymore and you will be free," she said as she reaches out her hand and then inside her chest._

 _A moment later the woman named Yui Miyami let out a short scream of pain, just before Gaeriel removed something from her body... a Sacred Gear. In opposite to the green shimmering rings of the Twilight Healing however, this one was a light blueish colored globe._

 _And with a bright smile on her face, she handed it to Crocel, who accepted it, returning her smile._

 _It was then, when everything suddenly turned around._

The woman fixated on the wall suddenly passed out. Alarms were going off all around them.

"Yui," Gaeriel called out "Yui."

 _"Gaeriel, there is something wrong," the man named Leon Argento said to her as he checked her vitals. "She is dieing Gaeriel. It didn´t work. We have to give her Sacred Gear back, now."_

 _They all turned to Crocel, who however didn´t pay much attention to any of them._

 _"Alyk," she said. "You have heard him. We need to return her Sacred Gear. It... we have failed. She cannot life without her Sacred Gear. Our data was wrong. We need to return it," she shouted at him. "Please."_

 _But he was just standing there, looking at the Sacred Gear in his hands._

 _"Circulatory Collapse," Leon Argento yelled. "Her mind and her body are just shutting down without the Sacred Gear. Gaeriel, gaddamnit. How can this happen? You told us you know the correct way. Gaeriel?"_

 _"Finally," he said, "the power that should have been mine from the beginning is now in my hands," he announced as he placed the Sacred Gear inside his body._

 _"Alyk?" Gaeriel asked in disbelief at what her lover was doing._

 _But it was too late anyway._

 _"All her vitals are gone. It is over," Leon declared devastated. "Gaeriel," he addressed her angrily. "How could this happen? You gave us the data. You told us you know how to remove a Sacred Gear safely. You told us nothing could go wrong."_

 _"I was wrong. I thought I could do it. I hoped..."_

 _"You hoped? You told us you know for sure. You lied. The data you gave us?"_

 _"Was manipulated. Yes, I lied," she admitted._

All of the spectators, but especially three of them, were feeling sick at what they were seeing. The two Issei because it all reminded them all too much of what happened to Asia... and Raynare because it gave her a good picture what she had allowed herself to become.

 _"My god Gaeriel, why?" the man named Leon asked her._

 _"Because **I** told her to do it," Crocel answered him in her stead. "I told her that it was **necessary**. It is said that the experiment didn´t work exactly as expected." His voice was now cold like ice, just like Issei remembered it._

 _"Experiment?" Gaeriel asked confused._

 _"But you don´t need to worry about her death. If she had survived, I would have needed to get rid of her later anyway. After all I cannot allow this experiment to become common knowledge."_

 _"What?" Gaeriel could not believe what she was hearing. But what happened next horrified her even more._

 _He formed a lightspear in his hand and with a single move struck the man next to her down... Asia´s father?... they asked themselves._

 _Then he formed more lightspears and threw them at the rest of the shocked group of humans, killing them as well. Only Gaeriel, who was still frozen in complete horror and disbelieve was still standing there._

 _"I am sorry beloved," he told her. "But I can't allow the details of your work to be known to the public. Nobody will ever take this Sacred Gear from me. You know, the Guardians will never accept you back after they found out what happened here and what you have done. Illegal human experimentation, murder, deception of co-workers. When you have made up your mind, then come and join **me**."_

 _He placed a kiss on her lips before he turned around and left her behind._

 ** _xxx_**

The scene ended. They all didn´t quite knew how to react to what they had just seen.

"After this had happened," Odin told them, "the wife of Gaeriel´s head-researcher, who became a victim of the massacre, as she found out what had happened, out of fear, abandoned her infant daughter at a Church facility. A short time later she vanished. It is possible that Crocel was responsible for this as well. Even we are not completely sure.

In one point however Crocel was wrong. We **did** accept her back. Even if had taken her a few years to be fully trusted again."

 **xxx**

A short distance from them a young completely shocked former Nun was also not quite sure how she should react to the story that a completely devastated Fallen Angel had just told her.

 **xxxxxxx**

Meanwhile a half world away, the man known as Crocel was standing alone in the middle of the wilderness, thinking about the latest events and especially his own moves, as he sensed a presence appearing close to him.

As he turned around, he already knew who he would be seeing, a strangely careless looking white haired young man.

"Accelarator," he greeted him.

"Crocel," he replied casually.

"What can I do for you?" he asked.

He knew this being quite well, after all he was the one who had defeated him on his mission years ago and so in a sense caused his defection to the other side.

"How should I say? The Lords have noticed a few odd things about your latest actions. You shouldn´t think that we doubt your loyality. It is just curiosity," he stated. "But tell me, why did you tell that Fallen Angel Gaeriel about Kokabiel´s plans? Especially after you spend the last weeks supporting Kokabiel. So why?"

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Polar Wolfstar: Well, yes and no. For example they will meet very soon with the characters from my other story God´s of Darkness, that is identical with the canon universe for the most part.**

 **The term canon counterpart itself is a bit muddy in this story. There are actually several worlds included that are practically identical to the canon one to some point. Issei will meet at least some of them.  
**

 **Guest: I am thinking about a story part that adds something of the `representation of humanity´ story. Propably when this arc is over.**

 **Republic: Yes. The other members of Lelouch´s universe will make an appearance a bit later.**


	14. Chapter 14: Deal with the Devil

**Chapter 14  
**

Gaeriel had just told Asia the entire role she had played about her past. How she had unwittingly helped to ruin her entire family before she was even old enough to remember.

She had at least hoped for a reaction, an answer... even an angry one. But the former Nun just stayed silent and was starring at her.

Finally, she had enough.

"Please say something... Even if you hate me. But please would you at least talk to me," she pleaded.

Asia was looking at her for a few moments more.

"You didn´t know," she finally said. "You didn´t know that he would do this."

"No. But I still killed an innocent woman, unintentionally yes. But it was only because I lied to her about the risks that she even agreed to the ritual in the first place. I - I lied to your father and the others, got them involved into all of that and in doing so got them killed... and possibly your mother as well. I - I am sorry. I am no better than Raynare had been."

"No, you are not," the former Nun replied flatly. "But you both have changed, haven´t you? So let us no longer talk about it for now," she told her quick and short. "We should return to the others, right? After all we have much to talk about after all what happened."

Something about her entire demeanor was off, Gaeriel realized. She looked stiff and her voice sounded forced. As if she was barely managing to contain her own feelings. And these feelings were quite clear to Gaeriel. She knew the signs of barely repressed grief and rage all too well.

"Yes," she simply responded.

"Good, then let us go," Asia just stated shortly.

She was about to turn around to the others.

"Asia I am sorry," Gaeriel repeated.

"I know," she replied.

"You didn´t say that you forgive me," she said.

"You are right," Asia stated, "I did **not**."

Gaeriel actually felt a light but painful stab at her cold words.

 **xxx**

As both of them returned a minute later, Gaeriel could literally feel the looks of all of them on her. They all knew what she had done now.

She and Asia sat down next to the others.

They were not the only ones who had been gone for a short time. Just after watching the scene Odin had just shown them all, the alternate Issei just couldn´t take it anymore. He had walked away and told them all that he wanted to be alone for a moment. `His´ Irina had followed him less than two minutes later. They had both returned about a half minute ago, just before Asia and Gaeriel did... and now their two `guests´ were once again sitting close together and starring at the others. Both of them, but especially the second Issei, looked still as if they were not too far away from loosing their senses. But it seemed it had become a bit better, they admitted.

Devil Issei was right now starring wordlessly at the point where his counterpart, Raynare and their Irina were sitting. Gaeriel admitted he was looking like a bomb that was short about to explode. But maybe, she also admitted, it was partly her own fears speaking to her.

 **[I admit it is fascinating to meet another version of myself,]** Ddraig stated... for them all to hear.

 **[Yes, for once someone actually worth talking to, right?]** the other Ddraig replied. **[But whatever, I admit that this is really an interesting meeting. And, do you already found a way to beat Albion?]**

 **[Not yet,]** Ddraig answered. **[But maybe it won´t take so long anymore.]**

The others admitted it was quite intimidating to hear the two identical Dragons talking to each other like that.

"You have all heard about what happened back then?" Gaeriel asked them all insecurely.

"Yes we did," Xenovia replied.

Issei looked at her, as if he was wanting to say something. His gaze was mirrored by the second Issei, whose expression was however full of anger. But before either of them could say something, another voice spoke up.

"It seems you are not so perfect after all, right Fallen Angel?" Rias remarked a bit smugly.

She knew starting an argument with Gaeriel was actually counterproductive right now. But she couldn´t help herself. From the beginning this Fallen Angel had done nothing but provoking a mocking her. Now it was her chance to get back at her a little bit.

"You know Buchou, you are not helping here," Akeno reminded her. But she as well didn´t sound really convincing and had a small sly grin on her face.

Like Rias, she wasn´t happy about the way this particular Fallen had been treating her master.

 **xxx**

Rias Queen, to put it simply, hated Fallen Angels for a long time, ever since her father allowed her mother to die. Despite that, at least to a half, being one herself. She admitted her feelings had toned down a bit - or maybe she just had been forced to tone them down - since they had been living side by side with some of them for the last weeks. Especially after a few more or less nasty confrontations.

The first one was with Kalawarner and Dohnaseek, who ended up with him calling her a traitor and a cowardly hypocrite who blamed her own father for something others did. This comment made her angry enough to just attack the Fallen Angel right there and by the looks he had been all too willing to return the favor, but they were both stopped by a couple of the Guardians appearing in their way who forced them to stay down.

All that however was topped by a statement from Raynare of all people.

She had told her that she had nerve to accuse her father Baraquiel of `abandoning´ her - for not being there when her mother was killed - while she herself just stood by and let her kill Issei... simply because her Devil Master told her to.

This comment, even more than she wanted to admit, struck home.

Was she truly worse than her father?

From that point on she tried - somewhat - to get along with the Fallen Angels. At least the ones who were with them in the other dimension.

But right now... they had other things to deal with anyway.

 **xxx**

They were now all looking at the two counterparts of Issei and Irina who had arrived here along with Gaeriel.

"One question I would ask is however, why are you two even together?" Xenovia wanted to know from the alternate Issei and Irina sitting before them now. "Not that I have a problem with it I mean. But..."

"That is a good question actually," Irina admitted. "I mean Issei-kun is a Devil in your world and you are... well, still a servant of the Church."

"The same could be said about you," Issei´s counterpart responded. He tried not to show any emotion.

"We have already explained who we are to you and why we are together," Issei told him.

"After... well, after Rias Gremory and her peerage had been murdered, the situation between the three Factions had become worse," Irina´s double explained. "The Church sended a number of Exorcists, under them were me and Xenovia, we were sent to Kuoh to investigate. Here I met Issei again and found out that he became a Devil. But that didn´t change anything for me."

"So in your world Rias plan to turn me into a Devil had actually worked out?" Issei asked his counterpart.

A parallel world, Devil Issei thought, still not quite believing it. Just like in some Science Fiction movie. One where he had not become a Devil, where Raynare had spared Asia, simply because that Fallen Angel over there had offered her an alternative, a world where Rias and the others were still alive... and where he and Raynare were... No. It was just too crazy to think about.

His gaze fell on the second Irina who was still watching him curiously. There was no denying it. This was Irina... just like the one sitting right next to him.

His head was swimming as he tried to process all the crazy information he had gotten during the last half hour.

There was however one other thing. The man he had been looking for the entire time was here - the first true lead since the murders. Of course, if he came originally from this world, it was no surprise that he couldn´t find him. He would find him and put an end to this murderer once and for all, he swore to himself.

"Yes," he simply replied. "And in yours you have actually forgiven **her**? You are still **with** her?" He pointed to Raynare angrily. "After what this bitch did to you - to us."

"Says the one who became a servant for the person who intentionally let you die and tried to take advantage of both of us," Raynare remarked sardonically.

This caused a frown from Devil-Issei. His eyes drifted to the redhead sitting a few meters away from them, who visibly flinched and was looking more than uneasy at the last comment.

Alternate Issei´s gaze shifted to Rias for a short moment. But he didn´t say anything. It was just all too much.

"Issei I... as hard this is probably for you to believe, I truly regret and I'm sorry for the things that I did to you," Raynare told him, "... and for what I was planning to do to Asia," she said with a side-glance at the blonde girl.

Devil-Issei said nothing, still glaring at her for a few moments. He was still fighting down the urge to attack her whenever he looked at her. Having just received an apology from Raynare of all people made him feel even more like he had just seen an alien - something that he actually **did** in some sense, he realized. After all she - like everyone else here - wasn´t from his world.

A part of him just wanted to scream as loud as he could and run away.

"Damn it, I truly need to start with my apologies all over again from the beginning, don´t I?" Raynare commented with a light smile.

Alternate-Issei only frowned at her.

"So what you said - we have really been killed in your world?" Rias asked him nervously.

"Yes," he replied grimly.

"Even Asia?" Kiba questioned.

"All of them, the entire peerage. He left nobody alive... except me."

"But why?"

"I wish I knew," he replied bitter.

"You are the Red Dragon Emperor," Gaeriel stated, "if your world is like ours. That is enough reason for many people to manipulate you in one direction or the other."

"You would know," Akeno remarked. "Besides that, you have a very `special´ relationship with that guy after all, right?"

Gaeriel said nothing.

"That is enough," Issei addressed them all. "She has made a mistake... maybe more than one. But she is hardly the only one here, right?" He was looking from Rias and Akeno to Raynare and Dohnaseek and back. "It is not that she knew what would happen. It was this bastard Crocel who had manipulated her."

For a moment all of them were looking at him.

"Well said Issei," Irina then told him.

"Thank you Issei," Gaeriel said.

Raynare just send a smirk at him.

His own counterpart said nothing.

"Buchou," Alternate-Issei then turned to Rias - she admitted she was not quite used to him calling her that - "what Crocel had told me, is it true? Have you let me die?"

"I am sorry," she just replied after a moment, visible distraught.

The truth was, deep inside - for a moment - she was terrified. It was a quiet terrible and irrational fear that had been lurking deep inside her mind for over a week now.

The reason was quite simple, the recordings Gaeriel had shown them a week ago. The one of Universe ...-003 or something like that. The one with her own counterpart from that particular world. Or to be more precise rather the rest of what was to see on them what the Fallen Angel had not shown the entire group.

It was actually something Gaeriel had told her about `in private´ a short time later. Then she had shown her the rest of the recording.

It was just as Rias had already suspected, the `servant´ that it had been talking about had actually rebelled against her counterpart. Only that it was been **worse** than she had expected... much worse.

She had watched the part where `he´ finally found out that he had been turned into a Devil and supposed to be her servant. He had been furious. He had leashed out on her and left her without a moment of hesitation... and `whoever´ was stupid enough to stand in his way.

There was a time not long ago where she was convinced that every servant she turned into Devil would be thankful to her - would agree to serve her gladly. For turning them into a `higher´ being and giving them a `better´life. She had been a fool.

That was before she had seen members of the Guardians made the strongest Devils look like a joke, before she had gotten a few glimpses of Issei´s potential and watched how quickly he developed, still as a human. And before she had heard the stories about all the other immensely powerful entities out there who could easily crush the entire Devil race if they wanted.

Not only that, she had stories that the presence of the Biblical God, some of the hindu gods... and even Ophis and Great Red was actually keeping other super entities like them away from their cosmos. Not to mention all the dangerous enemies that the Guardians themselves and their allies are keeping busy in countless other dimensions.

A few weeks ago she had thought of the Devils of one of the `Great Powers´. Now she realized they had only even survived so far through the protection of others. Why should anybody be `thankful´ about being turned into a Devil when they were nothing but another weak race? Had she truly ever been this arrogant?

But that wasn´t what truly scared her right now. These things, as fearful as they were, were far away. No, the current source of her fear was very close by.

She had seen how her so called servant had turned on her other self first hand and what had happened. He had been so angry... and so powerful. He had angrily exclaimed right in front of her that he was `nobody´s servant´ and that he had no master except for some old man who had either trained or raised him and then he just broke through the ceiling.

Raiser had tried to stop him. Another unpleasant thought, her counterpart had actually been forced to marry Raiser Phenex. But it was nothing compared to what she saw then. The being that her counterpart thought she could turn into a servant had killed him - with ease, as if he was nothing.

He had actually ripped out his heart... ripped out his heart, she thought in horror. Had it been her counterpart who had stood in his way in that moment it would have been her who were killed in that way. It could have just as easily been her. And who said...? Yes, he would surely come back and kill her counterpart as well.

A Phenex, like Raiser, was supposed to be immortal, she knew. But since the last weeks she was also aware that there were ways to counter or even completely negate such abilities. And obviously her counterpart´s `servant´ knew such abilities. How could her other self ever been so stupid to try to turn someone like this without asking him?

Then her thoughts instantly turned to Issei. Would he have hated her as well? Would he have killed her... sooner or later? The story the other Issei had told them had only woken up her fears once again. It might not have been him who had killed her other self of his world, but the look she had seen on him a few times, especially when he had asked her if she had let him die - It made her shudder.

What about the others? she secretly asked herself deep down. No, they were not just her servants, they were her friends, she **knew** that - they loved her.

Just like she loved th... _`Really?´_ a voice from deep inside her asked. _`Is this not only a piece of propaganda that you are telling both your victims and yourself to make them more docile and to ease your own mind? - Monster, Demon,´_ the voice said.

No, she truly cared about her peerage, she told herself. _`As valuable pieces,´_ the voice added.

No! she thought.

She had heard so many stories about Devils who had been killed by their own servants. She had thought that something like that could never happen to her... how incredibly arrogant. But now, after seeing those scenes, she could barely look at one of them without having doubts coming up... and feeling ice-cold fear deep inside her.

Akeno, Kiba, Koneko... did they all secretly hated her? Were they truly her friends or were they secretly waiting for the chance to stab her in the back, spit in her face and tell her how much they all despised her, the Devil who `corrupted´ them all and `taken away their humanity´... and leave her behind to die? Maybe they were just pretending to like her, maybe they were all just waiting for their chance to... `Stop it,´ she told herself. `You are driving yourself crazy. You are getting completely paranoid. You know that the others care about you,´ she calmed herself.

A part of her felt nothing but the urge to run to them, tell them how much they meant to her and beg them to forgive her if they were unhappy. But another one held her back, knowing that this would be a bad idea. Acting as if she had somehow `wronged´ them by turning them into Devils might actually bring them to the idea to rebel in the first place. `No, damn it, you are getting paranoid again,´ she thought to herself. `These were your best friends and not your killers in the making.´

Damn it - damn it, why did Gaeriel had to show her this recording? Why of course to teach her a lesson, she thought... and as it seemed she had learned it even better than expected.

She would concentrate more on the servants she already had, on her friends. She would show them how much she cared about them, not just tell, show them. She would not end like this... she would not.

"Buchou?" she heard Akeno addressing her. It caused everything to her not to jump up in shock.

"Yeah - yes," she asked, trying to hold the nervousness out of her voice.

"Is everything alright Rias? You looked a little bit absent right now."

"Yes, everything is alright. I have only been a little bit in thought," she replied.

 **xxx**

"As interesting to what's going on," another voice interrupted them - It was the mysterious Exorcist who had so far only introduced to them as Grigori - "don´t you all have a greater problem? Gaeriel had after all brought you information about a threat to this world, even if her methods were a bit questionable. The question is, what do you do about it?"

They were all exchanging a look.

"We should inform Lord Azazel about this," Raynare stated. "He will deal with Kokabiel and his group."

"We should also go and do something by ourselves," Gaeriel pointed out. "There is no telling how quickly Azazel will be able to react or when Kokabiel will try another strike. He has already invaded Devil territory and kidnapped a High Class Devil, not to mention that he was trying to have Raynare´s team killed and blame it on Rias and her servants. We should try to stop him before he can do anything worse."

"Stopping him? Ah Gaeriel, as much as I would like to get the guy for what he tried to do to us. But Kokabiel is one of our leaders. He has ten wings. Even with our new abilities there is no way that we can beat him," Kalawarner pointed out. "And Sartael will probably be there as well... and very likely a small army of his followers and hired guns."

"As much as I hate to admit it, but she is right," Rias admitted. "Even after our training I doubt that even all of us together could beat Kokabiel alone, even less him and his troops."

"A good point Kalawarner, but you oversee one thing," Gaeriel replied. "We have Odin here on our side." She pointed to her fellow Guardian who was at the moment wearing a grey colored cloak and had the hood over his head.. "If he comes with us he can take Kokabiel quite easily. And I am sure we will be more than enough to deal with his followers."

"Oh well," Kalawarner replied, before a grin formed on her face.

"Than let us go," Dohnaseek stated. "I cannot wait to make the bastard pay for his betrayal."

"But wouldn´t we interfere directly into Fallen Angel business then?" Irina questioned.

"In case you have not noticed, we **are** Fallen Angels," Raynare responded, "and Lord Azazel has send us to this group specially to deal with this matter."

"Of course, of course. But..."

"Don´t worry. I still think we should report this to him. In fact, I will send him a message right now," she said.

"Raynare, the voice of reason. Who would have thought?" Kalawarner commented.

"What about you two?" Issei asked Irina and Xenovia.

"We are part of the team," Irina answered, "right Xenovia?"

Her partner just nodded.

"I will come as well." All of them were looking a bit surprised at the source of the voice. It was Yuuto Kiba. "I want to stop them as well. And I won´t let you do this alone," he said, looking directly at Xenovia how a few of them noticed.

The Exorcist seemed to have a light blush on her face.

"Kiba?" Rias questioned.

"I have to go buchou. If they really try to restart the Holy Sword project, then I have to stop it... I have to. You know what this - what they - have done to me in the past. Please don´t try to stop me."

"I won´t. Actually I wanted to say that we will all come with you," she told him. This caused the others to look at her a bit surprised.

"Don´t look at me like that," Rias stated. "If they are holding a High Class Devil captive and try to restart the Great War, it is our concern as well, right? Not to mention that these people here became more or less our comrades during the last weeks. So I can also take a break from being a `self-centered Devil´ for a short time, don´t you think?"

"What about the Rating Game?" Akeno asked her.

"This will be over long before it starts, in one way or the other. And if I die... well, then it is Raiser´s problem, right? After all he can't have a wedding without a bride," she said in an attempt of `gallow-humor´.

Issei´s eyes turned to Murayama.

"You don´t even need to look at me like that," she stated. "If these guys are trying to start a war that could destroy us all, I will try to help. Don´t even try to talk me out of it. I may have no real combat experience, but I know how to use a sword, I am getting a grip on my new powers and I have spent the last two weeks training like hell. I can help."

"If **that guy** will be there, I am going with you as well," Alternate Issei exclaimed.

All eyes turned to him.

"And if you are going, I am coming too," Irina´s counterpart stated.

"You two are not even part of our group," Xenovia reminded them.

"That doesn´t matter to me. This guy had murdered my friends - Even if some of them might had their mistakes," he said looking at Rias, "He had killed Asia´s father and possibly her mother too. I won´t just let him get away with this. I will avenge them."

"Okay," Issei said.

"And I am coming as well," they heard another voice. It was Asia. She had so far stayed silent during the entire conversation.

"Ahm Asia, it will be extremely dangerous," Issei told her. "This will be the strongest opponents we have ever faced and we already have Raynare with us who possess the Twilight Healing as well, so you don´t need to worry about us."

"You think that is the only reason I want to go?" Asia asked him angrily. "This man had murdered my parents. It was because of him that I grew up an orphan. He had even killed another version of me and her friends. I am going because I want to see him die," she exclaimed.

"Asia?" Issei said in shock.

"This - this is not like you," Xenovia stated.

"You think so?" Asia responded. "Yes, I guess it is not." She closed her eyes for a moment. "But what do you expect? You have heard it all. And it is not only this," she reminded them all. "Raynare here had wanted to remove my Sacred Gear, knowing perfectly that it would kill me." She pointed at the Fallen Angel and her two comrades. "They even run tests on me to find out the best way to do it." The three Fallen Angels were looking at her, showing actual regret.

"Then I found out that this Diodora Astaroth person had tricked me and caused me to be excommunicated from the Church. All that just because he wanted to turn me into a sex-slave... and not only that, that asshole Freed wanted to have his turn on me as well." The former Holy Maiden, had certainly learned a few words in the time she had spent with all of them, a few of them noticed.

"And if all that had not been enough, now I find out this," she continued. "Can you tell me why it is always me? Why? Do I have a shield somewhere on me that says `come and abuse me´?" the small blonde screamed at them all. "I have enough of it all. I just can't take it anymore."

Issei walked forward and wrapped his arms around her. Tears were flowing down from her eyes. The other Issei felt the urge to do the same thing, but then held himself back as he saw his counterpart already doing it.

"You know how sorry I am for what I wanted to do to you Asia," they heard Raynare saying. They saw the Fallen Angel walk forward, right next to the former Nun, and then... actually kneel down before her. "I am sorry Asia," she said once again.

The alternate Issei could barely believe what he was seeing. If he didn´t already knew that he was in a different world, he would start to believe it now. He felt in this moment a little bit of the hate... or maybe more... he felt for **this** Raynare dieing.

Kalawarner and even Dohnaseek followed her example a moment later, after sharing a short look with each other.

Gaeriel did the same thing, kneeling down right next to the other Fallen Angels.

"I am sorry as well Asia, please forgive me," she said as well.

"It - it is okay," she replied. "As I already said to you Raynare, I forgive you all. But what about the next idiot who comes and thinks he can take advantage of me... and the next?"

"Everyone who thinks he can try... will have to go through all of us first," Raynare told her with a grin.

Asia felt herself actually returning her smile.

"We will all look out for you, I promise," Issei told her.

"Yes, you might be a short little Nun, but you are **our** short little Nun and nobody is allowed to harm you anymore," Xenovia stated.

"Ah, thank you," Asia replied, a bit unsure how to take this.

"I will stay here and continue my task. Just in case some of your enemies might think they can get to you by going after the people close to you," the Exorcist named Grigori said to them. "But for the next battles you will have to do it by yourselves. I cannot stay here much longer. There are other duties I have to attend to. Now then, it was a pleasure to meet you Issei Hyoudou and the others of course as well. You are not quite what I expected, but not in a bad way."

"Why? Who exactly are you anyway?" Issei asked.

"Oh, have I not formerly introduced myself yet?... Grigori Jefimowich Rasputin," he said.

"The infamous russian priest and wonder-healer?" Xenovia asked. "The one who is said to have seduced hundreds of women, having healed the son of the Zar multiple times and influenced to russian politics?" The first statement had caused a grin to appear on Issei´s face.

"At least the version from my home-universe," he replied. "I assure you however that only half of the stories they have told about me are true. Well, that means of course that the other half is true," he stated with a grin forming on his face.

"You look quite different from how I would have imagined you," Xenovia commented.

"When I became immortal, I decided I wanted to look younger as I had been during my well known years," he answered. "Basically, had no interest to be recognized by everyone."

"So you have not truly seduced hundreds of women Father Grigori?" Irina questioned.

"Oh, I actually meant that the stories about the political influence I had was greatly exaggerated," he stated. His smile was now nearly rivalling Issei´s, who only lighted up even more, while Irina blushed a little. "The ones about the women however, well let just say some of them are not that exaggerated."

"I see," Issei replied. "I hope to learn from your wisdom in the future Grigori-sempai," he declared. Irina blushed even more, while some others like Raynare, Akeno, Kalawarner and Rias were holding back their own grins.

"Maybe in the future. But for now we have other things to do Issei," Gaeriel reminded him.

 **xxxxxxx**

Far away on the European Continent, Crocel was standing in front of the mysterious being that he only knew as The Accelerator. He didn´t really knew much about this man... except that they had a few things in common.

For one they, as far as he could tell, were both part Angel from their heritage. He had seen this during their fight 16 years ago. Even more important however, they had similar reasons for their association with the Dark Order.

Good and evil? Protection and Destruction? It was by far not that simply. The war was no longer just about these two opposing ideologies.

"The reason?" Crocel addressed the young man before him. "You have heard that the others side has a few new recruits? A fitting target don´t you think?"

"I see," he replied. "So it´s a trap... for them... Not that I care much. I will tell the Lords exactly what you have told me when they ask."

"Do that," Crocel replied. "Now leave me alone. I still have things to prepare for my plan."

"Like I told you, I don´t care much. But you... We both know the reason why we are doing this tasks for them, right? We have made - if you want to call it like that - a deal with the Devil. I know that is kind of an ironic way to put it, given what you are. At least that´s what it had been in the beginning, wasn´t it?"

"Why are you telling me things we both already know?" Crocel asked him.

By what he had found out about the world that the other came from it was quite different from this one... in first line in the aspect that the actual supernatural beings... just like himself were far rarer in the Accelerator´s home-reality - at least in comparison to this one where there were countless of them.

Instead there it was a great number of the humans who possessed supernatural power of different sorts, magical or other. Humans - many in his world would feel insulted about this. They saw them as an inferior, weak powerless species.

Crocel had never truly shared this kind of bigotry. Of course not, given that he was a Fallen Angel hybrid who had grown up in the Devil society after the Great War. But he was still used to the idea that humans normally only possessed greater supernatural power through Sacred Gears or other tools. At least until he met people like Darien, Faust or the Accelerator.

"No shit," Accelerator told him. "The only reason I am doing this is that I want the Lords as far away from my world as possible. So I had agreed to do a few of these little `errand runs´ for them, from time to time. In exchange, these assholes had agreed to stay out of my business otherwise. It is far from ideal, but it´s better than the alternative," he stated. "But when I look at you, I can't help to get the feeling that you actually like working for a bunch of omnicidical maniacs."

"Tell me, what exactly are you getting at?" Crocel questioned.

He remembered his fight with this being. How his own attacks were just being send back to him and his opponent looked like he wasn´t even trying. All that while Faust was just standing at the side... doing nothing but watching. It had all ended with him lying at the feet of the other fighter and the Lord, who then gave him his offer.

An even greater humiliation had it been when he found out later that his opponent did not even have any real interest in the fight at all. No, it was kind of ironic, all what this being, the Accelarator, actually... truly... wanted was to be left in peace - Or in this case his entire world. It was absurd. He was one of the most feasome beings Crocel had ever met... and he only fought to maybe someday not have to fight anymore.

"You have started to have your own plans, haven´t you?" the Accelerator stated. "You have become `ambitious haven´t you?" He broke out into laughter. "You realize that the `Lords´ have only made us this offer because they wanted to toy with us?"

"Your point?" Crocel asked.

"Only that whatever little ideas you have might very well backfire at you. But like I said, I don´t really care," the white haired young man told him.

"If that´s the case, you can also leave now. After all you have the explanation that the Lords wanted, right?"

"Well, right," Accelerator responded. "I wish you good luck Crocel and I hope you don´t get yourself killed," he told him smugly, before a portal opened behind him and he vanished... leaving Alyk Crocel alone with his thoughts. It was all going exactly as planned.

Soon these new recruits of the Guardians would be in his hands, especially the new Red Dragon Emperor.

Still, even he knew taking on all of them by himself would be foolish, even for him. And he knew he could not trust Kokabiel and his group to help him with his personal plan.

But he would not be alone. He had just contacted a powerful being a short time ago - One old associate of his masters. With him at his side it would be no problem to bring this group of beginners down.

The only problem was that this being had asked for something in return for his help, something that he had no real interest to give him. It would lead to the end of this world after all. He thought about not going through with his part of the deal. But even Crocel didn´t want to cross a being this powerful.

He would then possibly have to flee from this, his home-reality and never return. But what then? When they Lords would find out that he run away like that - and they would - they would very likely kill him, possibly in a horrible way. They valued strength after all. And when they found out that he had agreed to a deal and then not kept it? In a nearly bizarre way they valued `honor´ as well after all, even if they didn´t understood the same thing under it like most other people. No, that was not an option. He would sign his own death sentence.

But then, this reality was only one of many nearly identical ones. Maybe sacrificing one of them would be worth it for the realization of his plans... maybe.

 **xxxxxxx**

Not so far away, the Fallen Angel leader Kokabiel, while sitting on his throne, was holding the object his newest ally had brought to him not long ago. In fact, he was holding two Holy Swords in his hands, two fragments of the long broken Excalibur.

One of them had he stolen himself just a few days ago, the other...

"What do you think Sartael, recruiting our new `friend´ is paying off, don´t you think so?" he asked his lieutenant, who was standing in front of him.

"To be blunt Lord Kokabiel, I don´t really trust him," Sartael replied. "If he is Crocel, it very likely means that he has Devil blood in his veins. That would also explain how he could travel into the Devil territory of the Underworld so easily."

"Really?" Kokabiel asked him sarcastically. He knew that his Second in Command was quite racist when it came to the Devils, even far more than it was standard for the Fallen Angel troops.

"But you are right of course," he admitted. "We cannot truly trust a Devil, even a half-breed. But you have to admit, at least for now, Crocel has his uses. He brought us this after all." Kokabiel held up one of the Excaliburs. "Stolen directly from the Church. And to make it even better, he had made it look as if the Devils were responsible for it as he told me."

"By using his Devil-form in front of the priests without a doubt," Sartael commented.

"Perhaps," Kokabiel replied. "But does that truly makes a difference as long as he is **that** useful for us? Still, when he returns keep an eye on him. If he shows even the slightest sign of treachery, eliminate him."

"With pleasure my Lord," he said.

"Good." That should serve both, keep a leash on his new ally in case he tried something dubious and to appease his overzealous officer. "Besides that, with the appearance of the other group that Crocel had warned us about, it is better to speed up our schedule. `Operation: Second Great War´ is starting right now."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Kuoh_

Back at their mansion/headquarter the group of `Guardian trainees´ and Devils was ready to leave for their target. They were just forming a number of transport-circles that would send them to the other side of the planet.

"Be careful," Gaeriel told them, "... and remember, Kokabiel and this Sartael are not the only opponents to look out for. Crocel is also extremely dangerous. From his raw power alone he is in the same class as Sartael. But that is not even counting his ki manipulation and his Sacred Gear."

"The Sacred Gear that you gave him you mean," Asia pointed out.

"Yes," she said ashamed. "Every one of you who might die through it in the coming battle. It will be my fault. Everyone who he had ever killed using it, it is my fault. I know that." She looked downwards. "Always think of it, Crocel possess the power to control water... even the water inside our bodies. He can stop our bloodflow... or use it to rip you apart from inside out. He can extract the moisture from the air and create weapons of ice from it. All that makes him such a terrible enemy. Always use you own power at yourself in the way we have shown you, to keep him from controlling your blood. If you can't do this anymore, don´t face him. Keep your distance."

Moments later they were all gone and reappeared in a forest area in East Europe... somewhere in Bulgaria if they were right. It was dark around them, night. The scene could have been out of an old horror movie.

"Okay, where exactly is this castle you have been talking about Gaeriel?" Issei asked her.

"By the information I have gotten from Crocel it should be in this direction, a few miles at most. But we could not appear right at the front door or they would have noticed us instantly."

"Good, then let us go," he said to them.

It took only a short time until they saw the silhouette of the castle in the distance. They were close by. But none of them detected any supernatural energies from the building. It was obviously well shielded. Just like they were all hiding their own presence during their approach.

After a few more minutes they came to a clearing in the woods... or at least something that looked like one. But all of them had somehow the feeling that something was strange, their senses told them that.

They also realized that they were not alone. In front of them was a presence. It was a Fallen Angel, a single soldier.

Issei made a gesture and they were all hiding behind the tees at the edge of the `clearing´. A few moments later the newcomer arrived, not flying as you would expect from a Fallen Angel, but walking. The Fallen, a male as they saw now, was carrying something that looked like a large container.

He walked towards a small pit somewhere at the free area... and threw the contain of the container inside... something that looked like...

"That is enough," Issei said loud, now showing himself. "Get him." Raynare and Kalawarner moved and surrounded their former `comrade´, who saw them and now looked for a possibility to flee.

Kiba and Xenovia joined them a moment later and pointed their swords at their captive. Now they were getting a clearer look at what he had just thrown in the hole. It was just as they had feared, inside were lying two human bodies.

They others followed them and stepped outside.

"What is this?" Kiba asked the Fallen Angel angrily.

Odin however was only looking around thoughtfully. The god made a gesture with his hand and a surge of power went through the ground, removing the highest layer of sand from it. Then he formed in his other hand a bright glowing globe of energy.

What they were seeing on the ground made them all freeze in horror. It had to be dozens of corpses at least... maybe over hundred... that were lying around them. This wasn´t a clearing, it was a mass-grave.

"No, not again," they could hear Kiba say quietly.

Even Raynare and the other Fallen Angels were visible distraught. They had done things they were not proud of, but this...

"What is this?" Kiba asked once again, shouting this time. But the Fallen Angel stayed silent.

"Wait, I will get him to talk," Issei said.

"You think you can do **that trick** with a supernatural being?" Rias asked him, remembering what he did with Freed.

"I have grown much in the last weeks," Issei told her. "Talk," he said to the Fallen Angel, while he snapped with his finger. This was not much more than a symbolic gesture anymore, but somehow it helped him to focus. "What is this?"

"These are the leftovers from Valper Galilei´s experiments," the Fallen Angel begann to explain.

"Leftovers?" Issei questioned.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Kokabiel-sama plans to create an army of Holy Sword wielders and supernaturally gifted humans for the coming war."

Just like Gaeriel had told them, Issei thought.

"Where are they getting so many people from?" Issei asked him. "It can't be that so many just vanish from the places around without anybody noticing."

"Lord Kokabiel has an agreement with a group of human traffickers and slave-dealers," the Fallen Angel replied. "They are getting the humans for the experiments from all over the world."

"I see. What is your role in this?" he asked him.

"I and the others are overseeing the experiments, assisting Valper from time to time... and we are charged with removing the leftovers," he said in a cold voice.

"And you are not feeling bad about this?" Issei asked him.

"No... they are only humans after all," the Fallen Angel replied under Issei´s power.

"Tell me, where do we find the Devil you have kidnapped?" Issei wanted to know.

The Fallen Angel gave them a short description.

"Good," Issei stated before he released him, "that is everything."

"Indeed it is," he heard Dohnaseek saying before he fired a very concentrated powerful light-beam at their prisoner, piercing him right through his chest and killing him instantly.

"Dohnaseek?" Issei asked him surprised.

"This scum is a disgrace for the Grigori and all the other Fallen Angels," he told them all. "He got what he deserved. Look around here and then claim that you don´t agree with me." He gestured at the countless human corpses around them.

"I agree with Dohnaseek," Kalawarner stated. "We might have done a few nasty things in the past. But this here..."

Issei nodded. "I understand what you mean."

"Then let us go, rescuing that stupid Devil and stopping Kokabiel," Raynare declared.

"What conviction," they heard someone say loudly. It was a voice they all knew.

As they looked around they all saw the killer from the memories Odin had shown them.

"Crocel," Issei said.

"Oh, so you know about me? That is good," he stated.

Next to Crocel however stood another man. He was wearing elegant but a bit unusual looking clothing. His hair was very light, practically white.

Two of them, Odin and Gaeriel, recognized him nearly instantly, despite not having met this version of him in person.

"Loki," Gaeriel whispered. This changed things, both of them knew. Odin might be able to deal with Kokabiel easily... but him and the counterpart of his son? They weren´t sure.

Another question was, what in the world had Crocel done to bring a Norse God on the plan?

"You," Issei´s Devil counterpart growled however as he saw the man who had killed his friends.

He was about to attack him and nearly lost all restraint doing it. But suddenly he felt Odin´s hand and his shoulder and sensed the mental power of the god flowing into him, smoothing his feelings.

"You need to calm down Hyoudou," he told him. "I understand your rage. But if you fall into this kind of anger, you might enter the state that is known as the Juggernaut Drive and then you would become a greater danger for us than our enemies. Do you want to see your friends die again, this time by your own hand? Someone with `our´ kind of power can not simply loose control like that."

"I understand Odin-sama," Devil-Issei replied.

"Father?" Loki asked confused, now completely surprised in his own right. He knew he had recognized that voice, but there was no way his father was here.

"Indeed `my son´," Odin stated. He lowered his hood and a spear suddenly appeared in his hands... and a helmet on his head. "If you want to know, I am actually the Odin from another reality, as much as this might surprise you. But another question is, why are you helping this man Loki?"

"If you are now truly another version of my so called father or just an delusional impostor, you won´t stop me," the other god responded. "Crocel here had offered me a tool that will help me to start Ragnarok and I won´t let this opportunity slip through my fingers."

"I see," Odin replied. "Issei, you and the others deal first with Crocel and then with Kokabiel. I will take care of him."

"Are you sure you can do that old man?" he asked him.

"Don´t worry Issei. I admit that my strength might have waned somewhat with old age. But anyway, I promise that I will try everything not to accidentally devastate the planet."

"What?" Issei asked aghast. Was this old man serious.

A moment later he sensed how Odin´s energy literally exploded around him.

"Okay," Issei stated, "you are serious."

 **xxxxxxx**

The clash between the two gods that followed moments later, was felt by supernatural beings all around the planet.

"Sartael," Kokabiel addressed his subordinate inside the castle, "It seems that someone has located us, someone very powerful. We have to be careful... and proceed quickly."

"Yes my Lord," he answered.

 **xxxxxxx**

"Do you feel that Vali?" Azazel asked the young man who was accompanying him.

"Of course," he replied, "it seems that things are getting interesting."

* * *

 **Review from Nutt: Harem list - Right now it is of course Raynare, Irina and Asia. Possible candidates would currently be Ravel, Gaeriel (OC) and maybe a few others.**

 **Like it was already said, the scenes Rias remembers and that are driving her paranoid are from Payn3´s story `Dragon Slaying Devil´. The `servant´ Rias counterpart had tried to recruit is actually a version of Natsu.**


	15. Chapter 15: Taking off the gloves

**Chapter 15**

They all were standing in front of their enemy with the name Alyk Crocel, a former Guardian who had defected to the other side and also a descendant of one of the 72 great clans of the Underworld.

This enemy however had just appeared in front of them together with an even more dangerous being, the Norse god Loki of this universe.

Had Odin - the alternate version of his father - not offered to come with them, they knew they would now be in more than serious trouble. But now the two gods were locked into a fight with each other... and Crocel was left in front of them by himself.

Alyk Crocel - how they got to know this man - while vastly outnumbered, was still a very dangerous enemy, as Gaeriel had warned them. Not only does he had the power that equaled a well trained high-class being, his Sacred Gear and his knowledge about the combat-techniques of the Guardians made him an even more dangerous opponent. They knew they needed to use their own energy to protect themselves from his power.

"You... " Issei - not the one who most of them knew, but the alternate counterpart who had arrived in their world just an hour earlier - growled, "I will kill you."

"Still angry I see... good," Crocel remarked. "I am sure my masters will have plans for you in the future."

"Shut up," he yelled.

But then something happened that nobody of them had expected.

"You have not told me that you will bring someone else with you," Gaeriel now addressed Crocel to everyone´s surprise.

"What?" Issei asked confused.

"I thought it was better not to mention it for the moment," Crocel replied. "After all, despite everything I could not just trust you blindly my dear - no matter how much I wanted to."

Gaeriel smiled and took a few steps towards him. The others were too surprised to stop her. She took another step closer and he draw her in his arms and kissed her... right in front of the shocked audience.

"But like I said, I have brought them to you Alyk," she said to him.

"Very good. I knew I could count on you my Angel," Crocel told her smiling.

"You did what?" Issei called out.

"You see," Crocel turned to them, "I was able to locate her during her last trip through the dimensions. To be honest I had a feeling that she would try to see the last world I had visited," he told them smugly, with a side-glance to Devil-Issei. "So I was ready, waiting for her. As you can imagine, we had much to talk about. But in the end... she was able to see reason."

"Oh yes I was beloved," Gaeriel replied, giving him a warm smile. "I admit it took me a long time, but in the end I realized that you made the right decision."

"And it took me only 15 years, right?" she remarked with some sarcasm.

"No time at all darling," he told her. "I always knew that sooner or later you would see things my way. But to be honest, you have chosen exactly the right moment..." he grinned, "... now that you have handed an entire group of new `wannabe Guardians´ over to me."

"You sold us out?" Irina asked unbelieving.

"Why should I stay with an organization where I will always only be in the lower ranks? Why should I kept protecting people who didn´t even knew about me and would never thank me?" Gaeriel asked, turning to them. "Why should I stay separated from my love for ideal that had never brought me anything?"

"I thanked you. I thought you are our friend," Asia shouted at her.

"The little outcast Holy Maiden, who was either used or thrown away by anyone in her life so far," she said coldly. "Aren´t I lucky?" she commented mockingly.

"A good choice my dear. With me you can be a queen," Crocel told her. "As long as we can make sure that both sides are occupied with each other, we have room to do whatever we want. We can take control of one of the many variations of this reality and rule it together."

"You fucking bitch," Issei´s alternate self pressed out, no longer holding his rage back, "I knew you Fallen Angels could not be trusted."

"Hey, don´t blame us for this," Raynare responded drily. "This is all **her** doing."

She couldn´t help it, but even she was shocked and, she admitted, a bit hurt by this. After the other Fallen Angel had kept her from killing an innocent girl for a Sacred Gear and make the greatest mistake in her life, she had as well come to see her as a friend - even if she was not the type to talk about something like that loudly. And now she was doing this.

Issei´s counterpart was more than just ready to attack both Crocel and Gaeriel right now.

"You... I will kill you both," he shouted. The Boosted Gear appeared on his arm with his shout.

"Really? Crocel asked him.

Before Issei´s counterpart even fully understood what has happened, he was being attacked. But not from the two enemies in front of him like expected... but from the side.

It was his senses and his instincts alone that saved him from the swordstrike directed at him, from the person who was standing right beside him. He barely managed to use the just materialzed Sacred Gear on his left underarm to block it. **None** of them had seen it coming... of course not. How could they have?

"Irina?" he questioned in complete horror. His childhood friend, the single girl beside Asia who he thought he could completely trust, had just tried to murder him. Why? Why, damn it? he asked himself.

In this short moment all of it was coming up inside of him again, the pain the hate. First Raynare, then Rias and the others... and now this Gaeriel girl. How could he have ever thought that Irina - that any girl - could be trusted? His rage grew even more. But only for a short moment.

 **xxx**

 **[Partner,]** Issei heard Ddraig´s voice in his mind, **[you should be careful. Your counterpart seems close to the edge. Odin has warned you what might happen when the anger of one of you becomes too great.]**

Of course and the presence of two of him had also practically doubled that risk, Issei realized.

 **xxx**

"What are you doing?" the `native´ Irina shouted at her double.

"I - I can't control myself," alternate Irina shouted. "I am sorry Issei," she called out as her body made another movement to strike him down. But this time she was stopped by the other Irina whose sword clashed with her own.

"Alyk´s power is controlling the blood in her body... it is controlling her," Gaeriel explained. "I have warned you. You can resist it to some level through the basics of ki control you have learned. She however..." she smiled.

"Of course, that is it," Xenovia shouted.

Devil-Issei felt an incredible relief in this moment. Irina had not betrayed him. How could he have ever believed that?

"Stop this," he yelled at Crocel.

"Now why would I? After all you just wanted to kill both me and Gaeriel, right?" he replied sardonically.

Xenovia joined her partner and together they were attempting to take her controlled counterpart down without actually harming her.

"No matter how powerful you are, you cannot hope to beat all of us," Rias told him. Her peerage was taking position behind her. "Give up."

"You really think so?" he asked. Six wings materialized on Crocel´s back, four of a Fallen Angel and one pair of a Devil. He was now showing his full power to them and they admitted it was impressive. Out of all of them they believed, only Issei would have a chance to beat him one to one.

"I see you have learned to use your energy to counter my power. I can actually feel you resisting. But you are all mere beginners. How long do you think you can keep this up?" Crocel asked them.

"Enough of this," Issei´s counterpart shouted, activated his Balance Breaker and charged flying at Crocel, who blocked his attack with a large light-spear that he formed.

"Impressive," he commented, "Ddraig´s power is to some level protecting you from my Sacred Gear, even when you were not trained for it. But it is not perfect." He concentrated his powers to push Devil-Issei backwards and threw him right through a line of trees.

"You bastard," Akeno shouted and send a wave of lightning at him, but he shielded himself and seemingly shrugged her assault off.

In return he formed a barrage of ice-spears out of the moisture in the air and send them flying at the members of the Gremory peerage, they were joined by several lightspears that he conjured as well and send them at the Devils from a different angle. While Rias herself, Kiba and Akeno were able to dodge, Koneko was hit in the arms and legs... and Asia was now trying to reach her to heal her wounds.

It had started to rain, under Crocel´s influence and he was using the water to form even more weapons that he was using against them.

More spikes of ice were growing out of the ground all around them, but were quickly shattered by Issei, Murayama and the Fallen Angels under them. They all understood now all too well why `Noah´s Gate´ was so dangerous in Crocels hands.

Both Issei´s were now activating their Balance Breaker to use it against this opponent. A dozen ice-spears aiming at them shattered on their armor.

 **xxxxxxx**

In some distance the two gods Odin and Loki were now in a short stand-off and starring at each other. Both waiting for the other to make a move.

"I admit you are certainly not just a cheap fake, so much is clear... Odin," Loki stated. "But as you said yourself, you are getting old. I won´t let you stand in my way."

At the inside, he was far less confident. That damned Crocel, he thought. This was supposed to be easy. If he had known it would come like this, he would have taken Fenrir along.

His father had always been powerful, extremely actually. It was only good that he was also a perverted fool who spend more time chasing women than actually care about what the rest of Asgard were doing. But this version - and he had not longer a doubt that he was - seemed more down to business.

Loki formed a small globe of pure energy in his hand, which however in his palm turned into a wide blast that he sends at his `father´. The power would have been enough to depopulate an entire continent.

Odin blocked it with his spear Gungnir and redirected the energy harmlessly into the sky.

But they both knew this was just the beginning. Loki was now starting to conjure even stronger attacks. Odin was shielding himself... and the area around him, where he knew his comrades were still fighting.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The castle_

At the same time, inside the base, the Fallen Angel leader Kokabiel and his lieutenant had just finished their preparation.

"Everything is ready my Lord," Sartael told him.

"Good," he said. Each of them were holding one Holy Swords, one of the stolen Excalibur fragments, in their hands.

"Are we truly going on our own my Lord?" Sartael questioned.

"Yes, we are. You have sensed it yourself. Someone is here, someone very powerful, very close... and very dangerous for our plans. It is safe to say that this being most likely came for us. Very likely the group that Crocel had warned us about. And even if not, their presence alone is a threat for our location," Kokabiel explained.

"You are of course right my Lord," Sartael replied. "But the rest of my team?"

"It is a shame actually," Kokabiel stated quietly. "That we have to leave the others behind. But we need to act quickly - instantly, if our plans shall succeed - or it might be too late. If we took the time to inform the entire garrison and organize a retreat, the interlopers could have already reached us."

Not to mention that they others will made an excellent distraction for them, Kokabiel thought. The greatest loss would be Valper´s research, the army he had planned for the man to create. But he could not change it.

"But nearly all of your most loyal supporters are here my Lord."

"I know. They will die as martyrs for our cause Sartael. Just like Dohnaseek and the others would have if you had not been stopped. It doesn´t really matter. After this day, Lord Azazel and the rest of the Grogori will have no other choice than to join us and go to war. And that is what we both truly wanted, right Sartael?"

"Yes my Lord."

With his answer Kokabiel activated a magic circle and teleported both of them out of the castle.

 **xxxxxxx**

"Crocel," Rias called out. "Tell me, why are you doing this? Wanting power is one thing. But making a deal with Loki for the end of the world?... trying to start a new Great War? What in the world are you trying to achieve?"

Their fight had come to a small pause. Gaeriel was still standing close to their enemy, having officially sided with him. But so far she was not actually fighting against them. It seemed she was still conflicted about her decision. Good, they all thought, partly because it gave them a small advantage and partly because they still hoped they could convince her that her decision was wrong. By asking this question Rias also hoped to buy them all a short time to recover. Koneko for example was just being healed from her injuries.

"She is right. This is your world as well, isn´t it?" Issei questioned him angrily. "So why would you want to destroy it? Gaeriel, how can you help him?" His `friend´ looked downwards for a moment, not saying anything.

"You still understand so little," Crocel replied. "You all have no real idea of what you are getting into."

"Oh really, then why don´t you explain it to us?" Issei exclaimed.

"As you were surely told, the Lords, the leaders of the Dark Order and Ahriman - the force that is standing behind them all... the true God of Darkness - they believe that destruction is the way to improve the world, that progress can only be made through conflict, violence and terror and that everything imperfect should be destroyed... as you have probably been told on your visit at the `homeworld´. Their agenda is the creation of in their view `perfect´ universe - or rather multiverse - on the burning remains of this one. And so they are waging their war for thousands of years. Worlds, civilizations, even entire galaxies and universes... all that is being destroyed if it is deemed not worthy.

The `Guardians´ or whatever other names this organization is known by, were only created for the single purpose to stop them. Have you taken a look at their history during your visit there? I am sure they have told you about some of their battles. Let me tell you something..." he stated.

 ** _xxx_**

"In the year 2042 in Universe 003, the cosmic dictator named Darkseid had converted to their beliefs and had joined the Dark Order as one of the Lords. Under Darkseid´s command and then their combined power, they started an invasion on the Earth of that universe. The Guardians teamed up with the local defenders, a group of heroes known as the Justice League and an organization of cosmic peacekeepers known as the Green Lantern Corps. In the end of the battle the invasion had been repelled, over half of the Justice League had been wiped out - The survivors over the time joined the Guardians - at least two major cities and several smaller places had been destroyed, over 20 million of the population died... and that was a **victory** for the Guardians. So you can imagine how a defeat would have looked like.

The year 2697 in Universe 001," he continued, "during the last great conflict between the Guardians and their enemy in their home universe, the being known as Vlad or Dracula arrived on a planet named Carila. Not that the name matters. Not the Dracula you have probably met - but his counterpart who had joined the other side. He arrived along with only a small group of Vampires and brought this world death.

Normally a Vampire of his type can only turn a virgin of the opposite gender. But the Lords have somehow managed to remove this limitation and Dracula´s followers were spreading over this planet like a plague. They first corrupted and then turned countless others, who in turn slaughtered even more people. So they reduced in less than 3 years a population of around 4 billion humans and aliens to under 800 million. And that was only because they were trying to turn people instead of just destroy them.

If Dracula wanted he could have of course just as easily wiped out the planet as a whole, but he didn´t bother," Crocel explained. "The true reason for the entire attack was to create an army of Vampires for the war against the Guardians. As he finally left along with the **thousands** that he and his followers had created at that point, he left some of his former followers behind, who from then on ruled as overlords over the remains of the civilization. Until the Guardians found out about it and ended their reign of terror... about **20 years** later.

The year 2699 in the same universe," Crocel continued mercilessly, "the Lord known as Faust and one of his compatriots were `testing´ two rivalling civilizations who were occupying the same star system. They manipulated both sides to start an interstellar war with each other. In the end they decided for some reason that both sides were unworthy and used their powers to cause the sun to go super-nova and wipe out the entire system. And all that had only been part of a far larger conflict. During the years over a hundred worlds had been devastated or completely destroyed in the Universes 001 and 002.

In Universe 008 at it´s year 2001, on a remote planet those name a don´t even remember, a group of the Guardians had actually cornered one of the Lords. But before they had a chance to take him down, he unleashed a single attack that destroyed all life on the planet."

 ** _xxx_**

They all were listening to Crocel´s tale in, as they admitted, horrified fascination. They had of course been informed about the past battles and the destruction. But not in this manner.

"Do you see a pattern here?" he asked them. "Whenever the Dark Order wins an important battle they cause global or even stellar devastation, if the Guardians manage to stop them, it still causes global devastation.

The Dark Order, that means currently six Lords, all of them on the level of a Cosmic Entity, hundreds of other very powerful beings, some of them rivalling Maous and Seraphs from our world, entire armies of super-beings, demons and other creatures who are under their command, billions of soldiers on hundreds of worlds, entire civilization, entire worlds that have fallen under their influence - some without even knowing it. That is what you are dealing with," Crocel stated.

"Do you really think if they truly attacked us, our worlds, our realities would have a chance. Even if the Guardians would win the battles, from your precious civilizations would be nothing left but ash. I realized this a long time ago. So I agreed to a deal."

"So you are **helping** these monsters now instead of fighting them," Alternate Issei accused him.

"You know he is right," Gaeriel stated, who was standing right behind Crocel now. "If our worlds ever became a battlefield, even a victory might be barely better than a defeat. What Alyk does is the only way."

"The best way? Murdering countless people? You... just shut up," Issei growled. "You have betrayed us all. Don´t even talk to me anymore."

For a moment there seemed to be a flicker of pain on Gaeriel´s face. But then it was gone.

"The purpose of the deal is to keep them away," Crocel responded. "The Lord´s attention is on hundreds of universes. I am spreading just as much chaos to keep them satisfied and in exchange they won´t start a major attack. My actions are the only thing that was keeping the Lords away in the last years. In some sense you could say I am protecting these worlds."

"Bullshit," Issei called out, "if it was about protecting our worlds, why are you talking about ruling them?"

"And what is the point of giving Loki a tool that could start Ragnarok?" Rias asked him.

"Who said that I actually intend to give it to him?"

"So you plan to betray him as well?" Akeno questioned.

"If I can. Should I have no other choice, then..." he shrugged, "this world is only one of many alternate ones. It´s loss would be acceptable in the greater scheme of things."

"You are mad. You are completely insane," Issei called out.

"No, I am doing what is best. And you - all of you, your entire world - owe me for my efforts. So I shall become it´s ruler in the future," Crocel responded.

"Let me tell you another story... one out of old times. It began long before the rise of the human civilization... and before the race of the Devils like we know them today came into existence.

At that time the Archangel Lucifer, the oldest and back then most powerful of the Seraphs, had dreamed about becoming equal to God. To achieve his goal, he made a pact with the ancient Force of Darkness. As a result of the ritual he performed, he and his followers became the first Fallen. This was how the race of the Fallen Angels came first into being.

But it was far more. Lucifer and his troops did not simply fell, the power of the Darkness - Ahriman´s power, the same one that the Lords are serving many thousands years later - was literally ripping the Divine Protection from them and replaced it with something else, a dark and sinister energy. As a side effect however he and his followers were slowly starting to change and developed characteristics of demons. That is what the legend told at least. My ancestor, the first Crocel, was one of his followers.

Lucifer himself became a vessel for this dark force, an incarnation of the Darkness. He tried to take over heaven for his own goals. Michael led the other Angels and faced them in a great battle. And somehow, with the backing of God, they managed to defeat them and banish them from Heaven. The extra powers they had gained through the pact with the Darkness, was stripped from them and they fled to the Underworld.

Lucifer himself, at the end of the battle, was a shadow of what he once had been. His wings burned, his body damaged and the presence of the Darkness taken from him... at least in our universe. I have heard in others; he was able to keep that power.

But slowly he was recovering. In the end however, he and his followers got some luck in their misfortune. It was at that time that the early Devils were fighting an ancient enemy, another breed of Demons, for control of the Underworld. Lucifer and his troops joined forces with them. Together they were able to defeat this enemy and dispel them from the Underworld, leaving the Devils as the one in control. In exchange for their help, the former Angels were given high ranks in the new Devil society and Lucifer himself became one of the four Maou. My ancestors, the Crocel line were given the title of Archduke and became one of what would be later known as the 72 pillars.

That was until the so called Great War, when my family was one of the first to fall from grace. And the others were all too willing to let that happen because they didn´t liked to be remembered that Fallen Angels were the ones who helped them to become what they were now," Crocel stated with some anger, looking at Rias and her peerage.

Rias didn´t even know how to respond to that. She had never heard this story before. No wonder, given the attitude of many important Devil families.

"But there is another thing that even less people know about. The Darkness that Lucifer conjured didn´t simply vanish. After it lost him as it´s vessel, it created another one to be its incarnation in this universe... a far stronger one... before it returned its attention to other realms. This time not a possessed Angel or Demon - no, something completely else - something worse. A creature, a beast of pure chaos that existed only to destroy and kill... a beast that still exists, in hibernation somewhere... and I have ways to wake it. And as soon as I learn how to control it, I will use it to destroy everyone who stands in my way and it will leave me as sole ruler of this world. The Devils will pay for ever spurning my family, the Grigory will regret labeling us abominations and denying our existence, the Guardians and the Dark Order will be too busy with each other to do anything."

"Enough!" Issei´s alternate self called out. "I have enough of your stories, your insane plans and your stupid self-justifications. I will take you down. You will not awaken any world-destroying monsters because I will kill you here and now."

"Oh really? Don´t you ask yourself, why I am telling you all of this `Issei-kun´... when it was clearly better to keep my mouth shut about my plans? In the end it doesn´t matter because you won´t fight me at all. In fact, most of you will have to leave us now."

"You think we will just let you go after all you have done?" Issei asked him incredulous.

"Yes, I think so... unless of course you want your hometown to be destroyed," Crocel answered.

"What are you talking about?" Issei´s counterpart called out.

"While we are talking here, Kokabiel is preparing to attack Kuoh and completely wipe it out," Crocel told them.

"What?" Rias, Akeno and Issei cried out at the same time.

"So far he had initiated that small attack on your peerage, manipulated Raynare together with Diadora Astaroth... and with my assistance he had kidnapped a High-Class Devil from the Underworld and recently we have stolen two Holy Swords from the Church. All that to achieve his goal of a new war."

"Stolen from the Church?" Xenovia called out. "Holy Swords?" Both of the Exorcists looked visible distraught about this detail. They knew this was another dangerous provocation.

She and Irina had just managed to disarm the second Irina and were holding her in place, trying to break her out of Crocel´s control.

"But now he intends to go for a higher level, something that the three Factions won´t longer be able to brush off," he continued. "If he attacks Kuoh and kills the sisters of two of the Maou who control the area... and as a bonus even destroy the entire town, then we will have this new war. And nothing will be able to prevent this."

"No," Rias said in shock, "that..."

"So if you want to stop Kokabiel, I fear you will have to leave now," Crocel stated. "In fact it might already be too late."

They were looking at each other. They knew he was right.

"You have been telling us this entire story just to keep us occupied and waste time," Raynare realized. "You have just been distracting us."

"I see you have figured it out," Crocel replied. "You seem quite smart young Fallen, no wonder Gaeriel wanted to recruit you. But it doesn´t change anything. If you keep fighting me, you will come too late to do anything about Kokabiel. I had not expected Odin to come along to deal with Loki, otherwise you would already be defeated. But you won´t be able to stop me either."

"We have no other choice," Xenovia admitted.

"Right you don´t," Crocel told them. "You will have to..." But he was interrupted. Because in this moment a light-spear was being stabbed from behind through his chest. And they all felt the power of his Sacred Gear on them suddenly vanish.

They all looked at the source of the sudden attack:

"Gaeriel!" they all called out... a few of them actually in surprise.

"You..." Crocel whispered, just before his body fell to the ground.

"I am sorry `beloved´, but you have made your choice a long time ago... and I have made mine," the Angel Gaeriel stated.

"You have planned this the entire time?" Rias called out incredulous.

"Not bad," Akeno commented.

"As Alyk had told me, he had located and confronted me during my last `trip´. He cornered me and gave me his `offer´. I knew how dangerous Alyk was... and that we could get great problems if we had to deal with him. So I acted as if I agreed and waited for the right moment. I knew we might have been able to beat him together, but I could not let you all risked your lives... not because of my mistakes," she said painfully... With these words she was taking one last sad look at Crocel´s lifeless body.

"You actually had me worried for a few moments," Issei told her.

"Never scare us like that again," Irina shouted at her.

"Oh please, her act was not that convincing," Raynare pointed out. "I had actually been suspecting that something was off... at least since you were telling us all how unsatisfied you were with your position. Well, thanks for not disappointing me," she said with a small grin... her voice sounding less sarcastic than usual.

"Gaeriel, you are okay, right?" Issei wanted to know. "I mean you and Crocel... you were once, well..."

"I know," she stated sadly. "But the Alyk I cared about is long gone. All what happened here proofs that only more." A painful expression came on her face for a short moment- a moment where she was no longer pretending. But then it was already over.

"I knew it had to end like this. But I didn´t want to put you all at risk. So when Alyk confronted me while I was trying to investigate... I thought I could `pull a Raynare´ on him." With the last part of her statement a small sly smirk had returned to her face.

"You know I don´t really appreciate you calling it that," Raynare commented drily while crossing her arms.

"Neither do I," both Issei´s said at the same moment... and exchanged a short look with each other at the strange situation.

"I admit for a Fallen Angel you are not that bad," alternate Issei told Gaeriel then.

"We should deal with Kokabiel now," she simply stated. "At least now we won´t have to deal with him and Alyk at the same time."

"Aeh Gaeriel, not that I don´t want to get the bastard for what he had done to us. But Kokabiel is one of our leaders. He has ten wings," Kalawarner pointed out. "Even with our training I doubt that we have a chance against him."

"Kalawarner is right, as much as I would like to get my revenge," Dohnaseek agreed.

"Lord Azazel knows about Kokabiel´s actions now. He will send someone who is able to deal with him," Raynare reminded them. "All we need to do is hold him off until help arrives."

"We will do that," Gaeriel told them. "And not only that. We will confront him and fight him for how long it is necessary. And we will kill everyone who stands in our way. Issei," she said, "you know both Darien and me had told you to act with compassion whenever you can and try to understand even your enemies if possible. But **this** is not one of this situations. We have been holding back against Raynare´s group and the Gremories because we knew they were at least able to change their ways and could be reasoned with. But these people have gone too far. You have seen what they have done, you know what they are planning. An entire town is at risk... and millions of lives in the war they are planning to start."

Issei - the Guardian Issei - nodded.

"We are no longer holding back," he agreed. "We will destroy these bastards with all we got."

But in that moment all of them froze.

"No," they heard Gaeriel whisper. She heard the movement behind her. As she turned around she had already a suspicion what she would see.

Behind her Crocel was standing up again.

"I see you have made your choice `my Angel´," he told her.

"That is impossible. I have pierced your heart with that lightspear. I am sure of it. You should be..."

"Yes indeed `beloved´, I should be dead. If it were not for one thing, the Sacred Gear that **you** gave me," he said. "Quite ironic, isn´t it? It´s power still keeps the blood flowing in my veins and it keeps me from bleeding out."

"No," she murmured. It had all been in vain.

"Wait, don´t you feel something?" Koneko, who was just being healed by Asia, called out.

Indeed, they did. They didn´t sense the enormous pressure on their bodies anymore that had been caused by his Sacred Gear.

"His using the power of his Gear to keep himself alive and use it against us at the same time," Issei realized. "Good."

"You are right Issei Hyoudou," Crocel admitted. "Over time my powers will heal the damage, but right now I need all the power of my Sacred Gear to keep myself alive. But I still have my own powers... and it doesn´t change anything about the situation," he stated. The pain was visible on his face, but he was holding himself. "If you waste your time fighting me, Kokabiel will win."

"And if we let you go, you will recover and cause even more damage in the future," Irina called out. She was more than furious about all what this being had done, especially using her other self and turning her against `her´ Issei. Now that the power of Crocel´s Sacred Gear was broken, her counterpart was free again. But both Irina´s were very pissed off.

"Leave him to me," Issei´s alternative self said to the others. "I will deal with him. Go and stop Kokabiel. He is mine. This will be a pleasure for me," he said darkly.

"I will help you," Irina´s counterpart stated grimly.

"And I will stay with you as well," Asia told them. They were all looking at her. "I can heal you," she said, "and I already told you I want to see **him** dead. You still have Raynare with you if you need the Twilight Healing, right Issei?"

"We have," he nodded. "Come, we need to go," he said to the others. "Gaeriel, are you coming?" he asked her.

"I am sorry Alyk. I loved the man who you once were. But..." She closed her eyes and turned herself away from him.

"You don´t need to be..." he told her, "... because I won´t die here. I will crush these three insects and then heal from the injuries you have given me. And then, when I have achieved my plans, **you** will regret that you have not sided with me."

"Goodbye Alyk," she said to him and walked away, joining the others.

"You said you wanted to crush me," alternate Issei stated. "Now it is your chance bastard."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Inside the castle_

A short time later. Issei and the remaining team were now walking - and fighting - through the corridors of Kokabiel´s castle.

At first they had been sneaking in, but had then been discovered pretty quickly... and had been fighting their way in since then. Before them were a mix of Fallen Angels, Stray Priests and heavily armed human guards, the same criminals that the captive Fallen had mentioned earlier.

They had separated into two groups, one with the goal to locate and take out the lab-complex and free any possible still living prisoners there, the other to find and free the pureblood Devil who was being held prisoner here. Both teams had an easy way in the beginning, only meeting a handful of guards from time to time.

 **xxx**

But now that the group that went after the lab had reached their goal, they met organized and hard resistance, consisting of two Fallen Angels, an entire group of Stray Priests and over a dozen human gangsters with machine guns.

Kiba used his Sacred Gear `Sword Birth´ to conjured several swords, that were levitating in the air... and used another technique he had learned to send them flying against his opponents. The blades hit a couple of human guards with machine guns who were blocking his way. Then he moved forward and cut down a Stray Exorcist behind them who was just engaging him with a light-sword.

Xenovia killed another one of the human slave-traders who were working here as guards.

Rias and Akeno, using lightning and Power of Destruction just finished off another three of them.

As they finally entered the lab itself, having forced their opponents back, Rias, Kiba and Akeno saw a small group of humans, in their middle a small sized, overweight, elderly man, who was obviously the leader of the group of `scientists´ who were beside him, two other men and a woman. They all knew who he had to be...

"Valper Galilei... this is you isn´t it?" Rias stated as she and two members of her peerage were standing right before them.

Around them the others were still fighting with the remaining Fallen Angels and their human allies. Xenovia and the alternate Irina were still fighting a couple of Stray Priests and a number of gangsters.

Dohnaseek was, in some distance, fighting another Fallen Angel and quickly overpowering him. After a few more seconds, he struck him down.

Irina was fighting the other Fallen Angel and like her `comrade´ was quickly winning. Their training of the last weeks was clearly making a large difference.

One of their members however, Yuuto Kiba, barely noticed any of this.

"You," he growled at the man before him.

For a moment, Galilei seemed more than distraught and somewhat afraid of seeing them here. But then he pretty quickly caught himself.

The three Devils were starring in silent horror at the fifth and last human being before them. It was a young girl, maybe 15 or 16 years old. Tubes were injected into her arms and legs. The expression on her face was completely apathetic. One of Galilei´s colleagues was just about to give her a shot of a syringe filled with some kind of liquid. They didn´t want to think about what they must have done to this girl.

"Now, a group of Devils, what a surprise and a couple of Exorcists with them and also a Fallen Angel, who would have thought?" the man who they knew must be Valper Galilei addressed them, completely casually at the outside. "What do we owe this surprise?"

"Shut up," Kiba yelled at him and punched him in the face.

The other three scientists looked visibly afraid, Valper however actually looked smugly.

"You seem to be angry at me. Why is that?" he asked Kiba.

"You dare to ask me that?" he screamed at him. The polite and softspoken Yuuto Kiba they all knew was completely gone now. "Look around you. I - I was..." he tried to speak, to tell this monster about his past... but standing here before the tormentor of his childhood, the one who had ruined his life before it even truly started, he didn´t bring a single word out.

"My servant Yuuto was once in a very similar situation like this girl here," Rias pointed out in his stead. "You remember it, right? the Holy Sword Project."

"Oh of course," Valper responded, his voice sounded nearly gentle and... longing? "My first great success."

"Success?" Kiba asked dangerously. "You have **killed** everyone," he shouted.

"Yes of course. But it wasn´t in vain, let me assure you. They all had sacrificed their lives for science and for the future, a future where everybody will be able to wield a Holy Sword, where everybody has that luck. Don´t you think too that this is worth it?"

"You," Kiba growled once again. He was barely sounding human anymore. He gripping his sword, ready to strike him down.

"You might think you can kill me. But believe me, you can´t. Lord Kokabiel will arrive any moment and if he sees that you have done anything at all to harm me, you and all your friends here will die a slow and very painful death. So how about you just release me and I will give a good word for you to my master. Maybe I can even convince him to let you go. What do you say?"

Behind them, Dohnaseek had just stabbed his lighspear through the chest of the other Fallen Angel, who sank lifeless to the floor.

"I have to disappoint you Valper Galilei, but I fear Kokabiel is not here," Rias informed him. "And your other protectors are falling very quickly as you see."

"In fact we can sense him nowhere in this castle. So it seems he had left just before we came," Akeno added, just as smugly as Valper himself had been... who now however started to look actually afraid.

"No," he stammered, "that... argh," he suddenly called out.

Kiba, with a loud angry howl, had rammed his sword into the man´s guts and was slowly continuing to cut through his body, tears were clouding his sight... until he saw the life leaving his eyes a few moments later. Rias Knight looked down at the now dead body of Valper Galilei, whose face was twisted in a grimace of horrible agony, then he looked around at the horror laboratory he was standing in and the still living girl before them.

He sank down to his knees and slowly started to sob.

A few moments later the fight here was over for good.

Rias, visibly nervous, layed her arms around him to console Kiba. She barely noticed Xenovia coming from the other side and draw him into a deep hug.

"Are there any other captives? Some who are still alive?" Rias then asked the other members of Valpers `research team´.

"The corridor, the last door at the right," one of them, the woman, pointed at their side.

"Thanks you," she replied. She raised her hand and fired her Power of Destruction at the three humans, killing them instantly. No mercy, she thought, just like they had said.

There was only one question left. Where was Kokabiel?

 **xxxxxxx**

In another part of the castle, the other group had reached their destination as well... the prison cells.

Issei watched as Raynare moved forward and quickly defeated and killed the Fallen Angel who had been guarding one of the cells... and he knew that it had cost her barely any effort. They all were trying to spare most of their strength for the confrontation with Kokabiel.

He couldn´t help to feel a little bit unsettled, knowing how strong she had truly become during their training. He kept telling himself that she had changed, that she was on their side now... that she would never hurt him again, that she loved him as much as he did her. But at the same time, deep down, he was also glad that his powers had become even greater than hers.

 **xxx**

On their way here, Murayama had been fighting one of the Stray Priests and actually managed to defeat him. While she was an experience kendo fighter and had trained her new powers hard for the last week, this was the first time that she was in an actual life and death battle.

She was doing quite good, they admitted. In the end however she hesitated for a moment. She had disarmed her opponent and had him right before her. She remembered the order `no mercy this time´. There was no time to take prisoners in every minute they lost, Kokabiel came closer to destroying Kuoh. But... for a moment she lowered both her weapon and her guard.

The Stray Priest tried to take advantage of this and draw a hidden knife he was carrying with him. It was Kalawarner who ended the fight by stabbing a lightspear in his back and send Murayama a small smile.

"Mercy and compassion are important," Gaeriel reminded her - Issei knew she was repeating a line they had all heard from Darien during their training, "but only if we can afford it. Not on the cost of other lives."

 **xxx**

What was kind of ironic however was that, in opposite to what you would think, they had chosen the groups in a way that the team that would raid the lab would include the Devils and Exorcists under them and the one to look for the captured Devil would consist in first line of Fallen Angels.

As strange as that sounded, they had agreed with Rias that it would be a good for the peace if the group who saved the Devil hostage would include as many Fallen Angels as possible.

Less than a minute later they opened the cell. What they saw inside was a bit of a surprise. They captured Devil was nothing but a very young blonde girl. She was wearing her currently very dirty hair in twin ponytails and her obviously once elegant dress was equally dirty and ripped in several admitted she somehow reminded her of Mittelt. Her face and her arms showed several cuts and bruises that probably came from beatings that she had received here. But otherwise she didn´t seemed to be seriously injured.

The look that she was sending them all however was visible afraid and full of terror. Of course, Issei realized, their group consisted of Fallen Angels and humans, so she of course thought they were with her captors.

"Wait," he said to her, "you don´t have to be afraid of us. We are here to save you. We are not with `them´."

The Devil girl looked at stunned for a moment... but then she replied:

"Yes of course... that´s because your comrades are Fallen Angels aren´t they? If you are going to torture me, at least just do it," she said bitterly.

"I am telling the truth. Look," he pointed at the dead Fallen Angel guard at the corridor. "They may be Fallen Angels, but we are here to save you."

She saw him as well. He was one of the ones who took a habbit of beating on her because she was a `filthy devil´, as they said.

"You - you truly mean it? This is not a trick?" she asked still insecure.

"I swear," he said and moved his hand over his heart.

The young Devil actually gave him a small smile. He recognized her in this moment. She had been part of Raiser´s peerage.

"Issei, we have to hurry up," Raynare reminded him. "Kokabiel is not here. That means he is already on his way. If you don´t want your home turned to ashes, we have to go now."

He knew she was right.

"Come, we need to get out of here," he told the Devil girl. "I am Issei. This are Raynare, Gaeriel, Kalawarner and Murayama," he introduced the Fallen Angels and his classmate.

"I am Ravel, Ravel Phenex," she said.

"Are you related to Raiser?" he asked.

"He is my big brother." Oh great, Issei thought sarcastically.

In this moment they got another surprise as someone suddenly came around the corner and the person instantly froze as she saw them, it was Mittelt.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _A short time later, the sky over Kuoh_

Two beings had appeared a few minutes ago in the sky over the area. It was Kokabiel and his lieutenant. Both were heading straight in the direction of the town... or more precisely to the school that was at the same time the base of the resident Devils.

A few moments later however they were being disturbed as another couple of magic circles showed up on the ground beneath them and a group consisting of Issei, Raynare, Dohnaseek, Kalawarner, Irina, Xenovia, Rias, Akeno, Kiba, Koneko, Gaeriel and the newly freed Ravel appeared.

* * *

 **The historical backstory told by Crocel here, will come to play a greater role in future chapters.**

 **I believe most readers will know who this creature he had mentioned is.**

 **Next chapter will now be the final of this story-arc, that will probably be one of the longest in the entire story, since it contains the Raiser fight, the Excalibur/Kokabiel arc and the training in the other universe.**

 **Reply to guest review: No, I am from Germany. I had chosen a location in a country from Eastern Europe for this part of the story and the choice fell to Bulgaria. Romania for example was a bit too cliche because of Vampire stories.**


	16. Chapter 16: Conquering the Demons

**Chapter 16**

"Kokabiel," Rias called up to the Fallen Angel leader.

"Ah, it seems we have gotten some visitors to `welcome´ us," he commented. "I believe you are the group Crocel had warned us about." He looked to Issei and the others. "And Rias Gremory," he recognized her, "Just the person I had hoped to meet. Of course I thought I would meet you at your home."

"We had already been warned about your attack. We have forces in place to stop you," Rias responded, bluffing.

She knew that Azazel would send very likely send someone, thanks to Raynare informing him beforehand. But whoever he sends would be heading to Kokabiel´s fortress in Bulgaria, not Kuoh. And until they found out about this attack here, it might be already too late.

"Really?" Kokabiel replied. "I would rather think that you and your friends here were involved in the assault on my base and had so found out about my planned attack here. But sadly it seems the strong being that you have brought with you is still occupied with this other powerful presence it has clashed with. Can that be?" he smiled. "Too bad. I would have really liked to know who these two are. Maybe it would have been something interesting for once."

"If you truly want to know... well, one of them is the god Odin from another reality and the other is his son Loki from our world," Raynare called out. "They are probably still fighting with each other," she stated.

The others were looking at her strangely. Why in the world had she actually bothered to tell him that?"

What?" she asked, looking at her team-mates.

"Oh really?" Kokabiel asked grinning. "You know Raynare, under any other circumstances I would think you were just trying to make fun of me. But given what Crocel had told me about the group you have joined, I believe that actually possible. The question is, why are even telling me this? Can it be that this is just a desperate attempt to distract me? Yes." He smiled at her once again.

"You are just trying to buy time. Let me guess. You and your `friends´ have somehow found out the location of my fortress and reported it to Azazel, like the loyal little girl that you always were. Maybe you even hoped that he would finally take you into his bed and give you what you always wanted."

 **xxx**

At the last statement, Raynare actually felt herself blush... and she also saw the look that Issei was now sending to her in this moment. She wasn't quite sure what to say to him.

`We will talk about this later.´ He sends her a mental message.

And she just nodded in return.

Issei knew he could hardly blame her for having feelings for her leader, when he was in a relationship with her and Irina... and probably Asia as well... and was planning to build up a harem.

 **xxx**

"But you didn´t know about my planned attack on Kuoh," Kokabiel continued. "So nobody knows I am here right now. Am I close to the truth? Yes, I see," he said.

"To be honest I had expected you to give everything that you have found out about me so far to the Grigori. That was the reason I stayed away from headquarters for the last weeks. I expected to be arrested as soon as I set foot in it. But now it is too late. When this here is over, we will all be back at war and Azazel and the other leaders will all have no other choice than to join me.

Raynare, Dohnaseek, Kalawarner, I give you one last chance. Follow me like the rest of the Grogori will soon... Or die here together with our enemies."

"Bastard," Kalawarner hissed.

"Kokabiel! Maybe I would have followed you **before** you had tried to have all of us killed," Dohnaseek exclaimed. "But now I know better. You don´t give a damn about our race or anything else. **You** are our enemy."

"Still hang on the past I see. You just can´t get over the fact that I had set you and your comrades up for the greater goal, right?" Kokabiel commented sardonically. "Of course I am hardly one to talk here, since I want to restart the Great War, right?" he stated casually. "Too bad, you had so much potential. If only nobody had interfered, then you and your team could have died as martyrs for my cause. Now you will just die as hindrances in my way."

"You," Dohnaseek growled.

"That is the way you treat warriors who have trusted you?" Issei asked disgusted.

"Oh boy, you understand so little," Kokabiel replied. "Trust, loyalty, order, those concepts lost their meaning a long time ago. Ever since `it´ happened," he said cryptically. "All what is left to us is the war. And everybody who stands in my way will perish."

"My Lord, leave these weaklings to me," Sartael stated. "I will crush these insects while you can deal with our objective."

"If you insist," Kokabiel replied in a smooth voice.

Sartael charged forward, forming lightspears in both his hands... but he was nearly instantly intercepted by Issei, who blocked the way of the six winged Fallen Angel to his comrades, just before he reached Kalawarner, who he had been aiming for. And he and parried his spears with his trainings-sword, that he had augmented with his own ki-energy.

"A Sacred Gear user? If that is what you want, I will start with you."

 **[Boost,]** Issei heard Ddraig´s voice inside his own mind.

He was not yet using the new blade the Guardians had given him... yet. He knew it´s powers would be hard to control. And beside that he intended to keep it as a trump-card.

Their weapons were still locked with each other.

 **[Boost** , **]** he heard it again and his power once again doubled.

But Sartael, surprised by the strength of his opponent, released more of his power as well.

"Out of my way human," he yelled, using his wings to fly up into the sky.

"Forget it," Issei shouted back.

In this moment he activated his Balance Breaker. The Dragon scale armor formed around his body and he felt his power growing even more... and he used his wings he possessed in this form to follow his opponent.

He was now able to push the six-winged Fallen backwards. Issei broke one of his light-spears apart with his bare fists, much to the Fallen´s surprise, who was now falling back and going in the defensive.

Right now another magic circle appeared on the ground below them and Sona Sitri and her peerage, the other Devil group in Kuoh, had arrived.

"Ah, it seems we are all complete now," Kokabiel stated as he saw their arrival.

"Kokabiel," Sona said quietly as she recognized him. She and the others had felt the foreign presences at the townborder and came to check on it. The presence of one of the leaders of the Grigori however intimidated even her.

Meanwhile, the fight between the Red Dragon Emperor and the Fallen Angel officer continued.

Damn it, Issei thought. While he outmatched his opponent in this form, he was simply wasting too much of his energy for it, that he needed to spare for Kokabiel himself. This guy was not even the real enemy.

He decided to risk it and vanished the trainings-weapon... and instead the Sword of Cronus appeared in his hand. Like before, the new blade parried another attack from Sartael´s light-spears.

But using it as a simple weapon would not be enough, he knew. Then he could have also kept the other sword. He tried to activate it´s power. Like Gaeriel and Darien had thought him to do it, he used his mind to reach out to it. A moment later he felt the weapon responding.

He took another swing at his opponent and this time it was he who was blocked by the light-spears. But to his and everyone's complete surprise, Sartael´s froze. For a moment it looked as if a blade made of bright light passed through his body and then suddenly blood began flowing in a straight line on his upper body and a large gaping wound was opening... and then suddenly, the Fallen Angel´s body drifted apart, cleanly cut into two halves at his upper chest.

Sartael´s decimated form fell to the ground to Issei´s feet... who had just fulfilled the movement and made a full swing with his blade.

"What the hell?" Someone called out, he believed it was Saji, one of the members of Sona´s peerage.

"What in the world had just happened?" Akeno questioned.

"How is that possible?" Xenovia asked.

"Of course, the Sword of Cronus," Gaeriel realized. "The Titan of Time. This weapon manifests part of his power. It´s attacks can move through the time-space continuum, directed by the mind of the weilder."

"And that means?" Irina questioned.

"It can cut through time and space," Gaeriel responded. "The attack cut his opponent **before** Issei actually made the strike."

They all were staring at Issei in fascination.

Kokabiel reacted in a way none of them would have expected, he started to chuckle.

"Indeed, a very interesting weapon," he stated. "This fight might actually be a worthwhile."

"You don´t seem to be very concerned that your subordinate is dead," Issei remarked.

"Sartael was a fanatic and a fool," Kokabiel replied. "It is not a great loss."

"A fool, a fanatic? And what do you think **you** are then?" Rias asked him.

"Something completely different, as you all will find out very soon." Dozens of light-spears, all over two meters long materialized in the air around him... and then shot in their direction in incredible speed.

Gaeriel, Raynare and Dohnaseek reacted in the same way. They just `phased´, shifted their molecules partly out of this dimension and so made themselves temporally intangible.

Dohnaseek had shown an especially great talent for this technique. He could stay `in phase´ for over two minutes in some cases, despite that he had just learned this technique a week ago... and let the light-spears just pass through his body.

Raynare, whose talents lied more with ki manipulation and telepathy - she was able to stay intangible for maybe 20 or 30 seconds so far, but she was getting better - was doing the same thing, but also dodged the attack at the same time instead of just trusting on the phase technique.

Issei, who knew the technique as well, could have done the same thing. But being who he was, he decided to shield Murayama and Irina instead and blocked the spears heading in their direction. In opposite to the Fallen Angels, the human without Sacred Gear in their group, who had harder access to their supernatural potential, had not fully learned this technique yet.

Xenovia stopped one of the coming spears with her Durandal, that she had just summoned.

Ravel was hit by one of the spears but healed near instantly thanks to her regeneration.

Kiba activated his own Sacred Gear `Sword Birth´ to summon dozens of weapons on his own, that he sends flying against the lightspear´s to stop as many of them as he could. So he managed to protect himself and the rest of his peerage and also Kalawarner and a few members of Sona´s from the worst of the onslaught.

Other members of the Sitri peerage however had less luck. The rook Yura was hit right into a stomach. Reya Kusaka, one of Sona´s Bishops, had her leg pierced and nearly cut off.

"Yes - yes," Kokabiel said in glee, "what a brilliant set of abilities you have. Even if of course none of you is even close to my level, this might still turn out to be an interesting fight. And a good start for my new war."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Bulgaria_

A half world away the fight between the two Gods was still going on. And they both had more or less started to go all out.

Loki was in this moment began another onslaught of attacks from the sky, that literally let a rain of fire and energy down to the ground that burned away everything it hit.

Odin, who was currently standing on the ground beneath him, used his power to shield himself and most of the surrounding area... but not all of it. Some places in greater distance that Odin was no longer able to shield were his and turned into a blazing inferno.

One of the locations that were hit was Kokabiel´s now deserted castle, that nearly instantly vanished in a large pillar of fire.

"I admit you are good 'father´," Loki stated. "I am impressed. But you won´t be able to keep fighting me and protect the land around us at the same time. I fear if you continue like this you will loose. But if you insist... " He fired another blast of energy. This one directed at a small town close by.

Odin however teleported himself right in front of the blast, caught it and redirected it like he did it before. This time however he sends it flying right back at Loki.

The trickster god in turn avoided the attack. Damn it, he thought. He knew he needed to come up with an idea and that quickly. Odin, despite everything else, was stronger than him. And this version, he admitted now, seemed even tougher than the father he knew. And this one didn´t seem to have the weakness of being a perverted fool.

In this moment two other figures arrived at the battlefield. It was Azazel and Vali Lucifer.

"Odin?" the Fallen Angel leader asked surprised as he saw the tow gods.

"Yes, but not exactly the one who you know. I guess you are Azazel of this reality," he replied. "And Vali Lucifer is, if my information is correct, the White Dragon Emperor."

"This reality?" Azazel repeated. "I guess you came here with Raynare and the others?" he inquired.

"Yes."

"Interesting. You realize of course that I cannot trust you blindly on your word on this," Azazel stated. "Even if you claim to be an ally."

"Of course," the god replied.

Loki at the same time was more than shocked at the arrival of the two newcomers. All four of them were watching each other carefully, not sure who to trust.

"Anyway," Azazel continued, "Vali Lucifer and myself are trying to find a certain castle in this area and we have certain business there."

"I know about the message Raynare has sent you," Odin told him. "This matter however seemed to have already solved itself. By what I have seen, one of Loki´s attacks had hit the castle and obliterated it. Kokabiel however had left before that happened and I am not sure where."

"I see you are truly who you claim to be if you know this," Azazal said.

Loki meanwhile knew that he was in a bad situation. First an even more dangerous version of his father and now the General Govenor of the Fallen Angels and on top of that the damned Hakuryuukou. If these three would team up against him - and now it definitely seemed to look that way - he knew he had absolutely no chance.

He cursed that idiot Crocel for ever convincing him of this venture here. But the price he had offered was simply too good. A chance to start Ragnarok right away, without even the need to get rid of Odin first.

Right now however he was just charging up another attack... and prepared to send it down to the three. It wouldn´t even matter what... or who he hit, as long as he distracted them for a moment to get the hell away from here. And Crocel should better hope to die in this fight, he thought. Otherwise, he would regret it if he ever got his hands on him.

But before he could unleash the blast, Odin, who had been floating next to Azazel, suddenly disappeared and teleported right before him. Before the surprised Loki could react, he delivers a combination of high level lightning and pure energy at him, that he channeled through his spear.

Loki was sent flying backwards, visibly damaged by the attack... but then stopped as he was caught in a telekinetic grip by Odin.

"Excuse me for a moment Azazel - Vali... I need to take care of my 'son´ here, before he can cause any more harm for anyone," he told them.

Odin now summoned his magical powers and suddenly a couple of metallic magical chains appeared and wrapped themselves around Loki´s body.

"No," he yelled and tried to free himself. But he instantly realized that these chains had an incredible power behind them that was blocking his own energy. And in his weakened state he had no chance to break out.

"I see what you mean," Azazel stated. Both he and Vali had of course noticed that the younger god was about to unleash an attack on them all.

It was not as if they truly trusted this `Odin´ here just five minutes after meeting him, but he was obviously connected to Raynare and in opposite to the other one he had not tried to attack them on sight.

 **xxxxxxx**

Not so far away yet another fight was taking place.

"I see you are not so bad," Crocel commented, while he landed a hit on Devil-Issei in his Balance Breaker armor, "for an amateur. Tell me, how did you get so strong so quickly?"

"That is not you're fucking business," Issei yelled as he tried to land another hit on his opponent... but missed.

"Much raw power, but little control over it," Crocel remarked. "Ah I see, you have traded some parts of your body against those of a Dragon. Let me see, one arm, an eye, a few internal organs." The Dragon parts of Issei´s body had now fully manifested themselves. One of his eyes was in fact replaced by the bright green one with a slit pupil of a Dragon, that was glowing at his opponent angrily.

"An interesting method to get more powerful... for someone who is either unskilled or desperate. More the second one in your case, right?" Crocel commented. "You did all that just to beat me. And now look at yourself, I am wounded, weakened and I can't use all my powers... and you are still not winning."

He landed a hit on Issei with a large light-spear he had formed that actually cut through Issei´s armor and beneath that left a visible gash on his chest. Like the Guardians, Crocel knew how to channel his own spiritual energy, ki, to negate magical powers. Like in this case the Balance Breaker armor. Of course this could be countered if the opponent knew the same technique, a similar defense... or if the difference in power was just too great. Sadly, neither of it was the case here. With his weapons and even his bare hands, he was able to cause damage to the dragon-scale armor.

Issei growled at him and continued fighting. He was backed up by Irina who jumped to his defense and clashed against Crocel´s light-spears with her Excalibur.

Crocel however also felt himself getting weaker. Even with his power keeping his blood running, his wound was more than getting to him... and he was getting tired.

"You know, even if you defeat me, it won´t help you at all. No, my presence is the only thing that keeps the Lords from attacking our worlds," he called out.

"Kill me and you will be faced with a threat worse than you can ever imagine."

Asia was at the same moment directing her power at Issei to heal his wound.

"Do you really think I would buy that?" Issei exclaimed. "My counterpart was right. They are just playing you like a puppet. **You** are nothing but their lapdog." He landed another hard hit on his opponent, not far from the wound that had already destroyed his heart and should have killed him if it were not for his powers.

Crocel staggered backwards. He looked at Issei, his face now twisted by hate.

"You dare," he called out. "You... you know," he said, blood was now flowing out of his mouth from his injuries, "I think I **would** be able to use my Sacred Gear... at least for a short moment without dyeing. Say goodbye to your friend," his anger was now overcoming him. For a short moment he let it dictate his action instead of his self-preservation.

His gaze turned to Irina... and **then** to Asia. Issei instantly realized what he was intending.

"No," he shouted. He would not loose another friend - Or anyone close to that - to that bastard, never again. This might be not the Asia he had known, but she was still Asia.

But it was already too late.

Asia felt it suddenly, how Crocel´s powers concentrated on her just for a split second, and then the terrible pain, as her blood-vessels exploded from the inside out and her entire body was being ripped apart. Blood was splattered over the entire place and hit all of them.

In the same split second however in that Crocel had concentrated his powers on someone else, Issei had lost the last of his restrain on his anger and attacked him again. All his hatred, his grief and his power was concentrated in this single blow. His opponent however made a critical mistake. He thought his attack on Asia would distract Issei and Irina. Instead, it only caused them to attack him even more enraged.

In fact, by concentrating the powers that were keeping him alive on someone else, he made himself vulnerable in this short moment... and that was all Issei needed.

The sharp edges of the Boosted Gear cut deep into Crocel´s flesh and as the full energy of the magical augmented hit was unleashed, it crushed Crocel´s ribcage, ripped up his inner organs and send him crashing to the ground.

For a moment, Devil-Issei was standing above him in grim satisfaction.

"Y-you don´t know what you have... done," Crocel told them weakly, while his shattered body was barely clinging to life. Even his Sacred Gear was not helping him anymore. "Your... your worlds will... burn."

"We will see about that," Issei replied darkly.

A moment later Irina let her sword come down, cutting off their opponent´s head.

"Just to make sure," she stated grimly.

Both of them were now looking down to Asia´s body.

"No, Asia," Issei whispered as he saw the scene of horror. "Not again, not again."

They both froze in shock at what they were seeing.

Her entire body was covered with large gaping wounds. One in particular run across her entire upper body and her stomach. Some of her inner organs were visible. Blood was everywhere. It was the most horrifying thing they had ever seen.

Yet still somehow she was somehow still alive... barely. They were both looking at the small Nun, who was seeing up to them in a completely pained expression. While not truly targeting a vital organ, it could barely be surpassed in brutality. It had destroyed blood-vessels, flesh and tissue all over her body. They were pretty sure; this was even beyond the Twilight Healing's abilities to heal.

"I... Issei," she whispered quietly with a broken voice.

She should be dead. Both of them knew that. The weak green radiation shining around her was the only reason she was even still clinging to life. But even that wouldn´t last. All what it did now was prolonging her suffering.

Asia... how could this monster have done this to her of all people? Issei wanted nothing more in this moment than bring the bastard back to life so that he could beat him to death all over again.

He broke down to his knees, sobbing. Irina only looked at him in worry. She didn´t know how her beloved friend would take going through this again.

"No," he said. "Not again. Why? Why does this always have to happen? Why can't I protect one of my friends? Damn it," he called out.

But then something happened that neither of them would have expected. The glow of the Twilight Healing suddenly changed. Instead, Asia´s entire form was suddenly surrounded by wild green colored flames. They watched as her body literally regenerated itself. Her wounds were closing and disappearing.  
Moments later Asia stood up again, still surrounded by the greenish fire.

"Issei, Irina," she said to them.

"How?" Irina asked in shock.

"I - I am so glad that you are okay Asia," Issei stammered. For a moment he even forgot that this was not the Asia he had known. "But how?" he questioned.

"It seems that the `gift´ Madelyne and Jean had given to us actually works out," Asia stated happily.

"I have to say this is impressive," they hear another voice, one that Asia knew, Issei and Irina however now. "It seems your new friends were actually able to **upgrade** the Twilight Healing. Who would have thought?"

"Azazel-sama," Asia greeted him.

"Azazel," Issei repeated, he felt his body going stiff. He clenched his fist. This was the leader of the Fallen Angels. He was standing there with Odin and a silver haired young man. He remembered how Raynare, 'his´ Raynare, had claimed that she killed Asia only for that man´s sake.

"Calm down Issei," Odin told him. "Azazel and Vali here are on our side... at least for now." As he said this, he at the same time concentrated his mental powers on Issei. He felt that he was short about to break emotionally. And the Juggernaut Drive was the last thing they needed right now.

"Right Indeed," the man named Vali said. "So you are the Sekiryuutei, my rivel," he stated. Issei froze even more at his words. Could this guy be the...?

"Vari Lucifer here is indeed the White Dragon Emperor," Odin told them. "But this here is not the Issei from our world. He is like me a version from another reality. But that is not important right now. We have to find Kokabiel. We have to stop him."

"Kokabiel has gone to Kuoh," Asia informed them. "He... he plans to destroy the entire town and to kill both Rias and Sona."

"Yes, he wants a new war to break out," Irina confirmed.

Odin and Azazel exchanged a quick look at this revelation.

"It seems we should better hurry up," Azazel said.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Kuoh  
_

They all had just survived Kokabiel´s first assault of the battle. Not all of them without injuries. Now they were trying to strike back.

Rias and Akeno were firing wave after wave of destruction-power and lightning at him. Ravel had joined in with fire. Issei with Dragon-Shot. Raynare, Dohnaseek, Kalawarner and Gaeriel were sending blasts and light-spears.

Kokabiel´s magical defenses actually weakened. But they were still holding.

Then he decided to once again strike back on his own. This time he fired not spears but blasts of light at them. They all saw it coming... and most of them were able to avoid it once again, either by phasing once again or by simply getting out of the way. Xenovia however was glazed by one of the explosions as one blast hit the ground... and so was Kiba who was trying to help her move.

Another of his blasts however missed them all and impacted right into a corner of the city. The explosion leveled a dozen buildings and set the entire surrounding area on fire. There was no telling how many people had just been killed.

Issei was once again attempting to use the Sword of Cronus. But it was all but easy, as he quickly found out when he swung the blade toward the sky. Like before, it formed `Flying Slashes´ who just appeared somewhere in the air, moving directly through time and space. The first one missed Kokabiel by fifteen meters. The next one still missed its target.

It was only then, when he closed his eyes and was trying once again to concentrate on his opponent. And as he swung his weapon this time, a visible bleeding cut suddenly appeared at Kokabiel´s shoulder.

"Ahh," the Grigori leader called out in surprise, before his gaze turned to Issei. "The weapon? Yes, it seems you are slowly getting a better grip on it."

 **xxx**

Kalawarner was watching what was happening around her and she admitted, a part of her just wanted to run away. Taking revenge on Kokabiel, that was easy to say. Now, when he was actually before them, things were looking quite different. She had simply not realized just how powerful Kokabiel truly was. Even with their improved power, he was taking on all of them at the same time... and she could tell that he was not even serious.

Kalawarner remembered what happened less than a half hour ago in the castle.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Earlier inside the castle_

They had just been freeing the captured Devil, who turned out to be Ravel Phenex, as suddenly Mittelt of all people had come running around the corner and was now standing right in front of them.

"Ka-Kalawarner, Dohnaseek, Ray... nare," the young girl stammered as she recognized who was in front of her.

"Look who we have here," Dohnaseek said. He and Kalawarner formed light-spears in their hands.

"No... No, I am sorry," she called out. "I was only afraid that they would kill me. Please," Mittelt called out.

"It was you she was trying to kill Kalawarner," Raynare stated.

"Now... as I remember, you had threatened to cut off my breasts, right?" Kalawarner turned to Mittelt.

"I - I don´t know what came over me. I was just trying to... Look, I wanted Sartael to believe I was on his side. I am... I am here because I wanted to get away from these freaks. I thought if I manage to free the Devil who is held here. But then I saw that you are already here," she pleaded.

Kalawarner took a look at her former teammate.

"Get out of my sight," she finally said a few moments later. "Be glad. It seems the last few weeks have made me soft."

 **xxxxxxx**

Looking back, she was more than happy that she made this decision. If Kokabiel would offer her the same thing now as Sartael did Mittelt, she wasn´t even sure how she would react.

"Yes, yes," Kokabiel meanwhile rejoiced, "what a wonderful fight. It is nearly like in old times," he said to himself, "... well, **nearly** ," he said coldly.

And then he suddenly released his full power, radiating a wave of energy that alone nearly knocked most of them out of the sky and caused the ones standing on the ground to loose their balance. A few of them only now realized just **how** outmatched they were.

"Why are you even fighting so hard?" Kokabiel asked them casually. "Why are you trying so much? Even if you all know how this will be ending. Can it be that you simply don´t know the truth?"

"What truth? That you are a maniac who cares about nothing but starting a war that could destroy us all?" Rias shouted. "We already know that."

"I am talking about the truth that had the whole time been intentionally hidden from you by the leaders of all three Factions," Kokabiel responded. "This truth is the great secret that the Church, the Grigori and even the Devils are hiding. At the end of the Great War, not only the three Devil Kings had perished in battle like it was stated, but also God himself," he announced. "Yes, that is the truth," he called out, "God is dead."

To his surprise however most of them didn´t seem that surprised about this revelation. While the members of the Sitri peerage were shocked, the others in fact didn´t seem to react at all.

"We already knew," Xenovia said to him. "We have been told during our journey to another universe."

"So you do know," Kokabiel stated. "Then you also know the ultimate truth. This world, this universe is senseless and broken. It was alone God´s presence that gave this world reason and order. Without him, everything is just turning to shit."

"You are wrong," Issei told him. "As you know we have seen other universes. What had died was only a part of God. He is still alive in all those worlds. He still exists."

Kokabiel looked at him for a moment. But then he only laughed.

"That is good for those worlds," he stated cynically. "But sadly it won´t help ours at all. Ours is lost beyond hope."

"No you are wrong," Issei called out.

"Just take a look around you," Kokabiel told him. "The Angels and the Church were supposed to be the messengers of God. Now they are only a bunch of false prophets who are selling everyone a lie and pretend God is still alive. The Devils were supposed to be incarnations of Darkness. Now they are only a group of slaveholders and corrupt hypocrites. We, the Grigori are supposed to be an organization based on freedom and independence for the Fallen Angels. Instead, we are now manipulating and using, even enslaving others just to ensure our own survival. Humanity was once God´s most precious creation. Now they are nothing but sheep, waiting to be used and abused by anyone who crosses their way. The Church is corrupt, the Devils are more corrupt, the Grigori are corrupt.

Hell, even I am corrupt. For a thousand years I have played this sick game, pretending everything was alright. But not anymore, never again," he proclaimed.

"As you might know, I was once known as the Angel of the Stars. I was the first who had teached the ancestors of humanity about the cosmos. Yes, me, Azazel and the others, we were once their teachers. I even fell for their sakes. But that was **before**. Before God died, before everything had turned into a giant joke. On the battlefield however things are different," he said to himself. "Yes, when we were fighting, when we are at war and we are facing our enemies, things still make sense." He started to laugh. His reddish eyes seemed to glow in an even more sinister shade than before. "And I will have that again, and if we are all getting destroyed, it is still better than this wretched life."

Practically everyone around was thinking exactly the same thing. He was completely insane. For the three Grigori members it was a sobering experience that this hollow shell had been one of their leaders.

"That is the reason you are doing all this?" Kiba asked him angrily. "That is why you allowed Valper Galilei to continue his experiments and ruin even more lives? That is why you want to destroy this town and kill my master? Only because you think this life is senseless you try to destroy everyone else?"

"You have manipulated Raynare to kill Asia... and **me**. And then you have set her and her teammates up to die," Issei stated. "And now you are trying to destroy my hometown. Who the hell do you think gives you that right?"

"Enough," Dohnaseek now growled angrily. He once again used the Phasing technique. He formed a light-spear and charged directly at their enemy. This time however he used it to move directly through Kokabiel´s defense and only became fully corporal again as he was directly in front of him... and his spear had already buried itself into his opponent's shoulder.

Yes, a few of them thought in this moment as they saw the successful attack. But then their expression suddenly changed, As Kokabiel stabbed Dohnaseek in return... and that while he was still phasing. Kokabiel had figured out to use ki manipulation, they all realized. Either that or he was able to do it from the beginning.

"Ah, you have a few nice tricks, indeed," the Fallen Angel leader commented. "You all are using ki and combine it with your attacks, right? And that allows you to counter any sort of supernatural defense, even this one." He was looking in Dohnaseek´s eyes. Kokabiel´s light-spear had pierced right through his chest. "Very clever. But have you really thought a leader of the Grigori would not be able to use his own spiritual energy? For a bunch of children, you are truly quite arrogant." He lifted his arm and fired another beam of light, that now completely vaporized the body of the other Fallen Angel.

"No," Kalawarner whispered as she watched Dohnaseek´s death. Her anger of her former superior grew even more now, but so did her sheer terror.

"You were right however," Kokabiel stated. "It is time to end this." He moved now, faster than most of them could even follow.

And he reappeared right next to Akeno and Rias. Before any of them even fully understood what had happened, he had created yet another light-spear and cut Akeno down. He had cut her arm clean off as the others now realized and Rias Queen was lying wounded and crippled to his feet. And nobody was standing anymore between him and his true target.

"Now we are finally `alone´," he addressed her. With one move he cut with his spear over her chest, leaving a deep wound and Rias fell down right next to her best friend.

Kiba, Koneko and Xenovia were attempting to charge at him, but a light-beam, aimed at the ground before them forced them to stay on distance.

"Now, where is your friend Sitri?" he asked Rias. "I don´t see her anywhere around. In fact, I have not seen her for some time now, since I was `distracted´. Has she run away like a coward? Or is there another reason for her absence?" He stabbed the light-spear into her shoulder what caused her to cry out in agony. While none of her wounds was deadly, the light that was now running through her veins was destroying her body from the inside out... and it was incredibly painful.

"She had left to inform the Underworld. You better give up now. Every minute my brother and Serafall can arrive here. And they will destroy you when they see this."

"Oh yes? Still, a spoiled brat till the end I see," Kokabiel remarked. "But do you know something? I don´t need a minute." With these words he stabbed her through the heart.

Rias eyes looked at him in shock before her body sank down motionless.

"No," Kiba and Koneko called out.

Issei just came fully back to his senses and fully comprehended what had happened. He didn´t know Dohnaseek that well. To him he was mostly one of Raynare´s teammates. And despite that he admitted he still felt some resentment for Rias for letting Raynare kill him - just like he did for Raynare herself, despite loving her - he had started to consider her a friend and would never want to see her die.

Kokabiel meanwhile continued with the others who were challenging him. Kiba, Koneko, Xenovia, he cut them all down without mercy, leaving them bloody and wounded. But he didn´t even bother to go for the kill. He had what he wanted. The death of even one sibling of a Maou by his hand was a point of no return. Just to make sure however, he would still level the rest of this town, hopefully he could cause as much damage as possible, before the Maou actually arrived.

He turned around to the Sekiryuutei, the rest of the Sitri peerage and the other two female sword fighters facing him.

Behind him, Raynare and Kalawarner and Ravel were now moving to help the ones he had just defeated.

Raynare looked down to Rias. She sensed that there was still a small spark of life in the Devil, that was however vanishing right now. It seemed it was time to try out her new powers. She activated her Sacred Gear.

"It is kind of ironic," she whispered as she looked at Rias. "By what we have heard you have killed me in a few other realities and here I am standing, saving you." The light green shine of the Twilight Healing was suddenly replaced by green flames that were surrounding her entire body.

"What the...?" Kiba asked as he was looking up to her.

"This is the gift from our teachers that Odin had mentioned," Raynare stated. "Jean and Madelyne had combined our Sacred Gear each with a small spark of Pheonix fire."

"Pheonix?" Ravel asked surprised.

"Not the kind that you and your family are using," she replied. "No, it came directly from the Cosmic Force that these creatures and you have originally gotten it from. A pure phoenix flame, directly from the source. I fear you and your clan are old news now my dear," she grinned.

Ravel frowned a bit but said nothing.

The original Twilight Healing is very valuable. But it still has some weaknesses," Raynare explained. "It couldn´t replace limbs," she stated, as Akeno´s cut off arm was suddenly replaced by another that grew out of her body. Around them, the injuries of the others were healing as well.

"It couln´t overcome death," she said, as Rias body was repairing itself and her heart started to beat again. "And it couldn´t replace lost strength and stamina," Raynare claimed as she widened the range of her power even more. And suddenly all of them felt the strength they had lost during the battle returning to them.

They all - even or more likely especially Kokabiel - were starring disbelieving at what just happened.

Rias looked up stunned as she fully realized **who** had just saved her.

"To make that clear Devil, this doesn´t mean we are friends or something... understood?" Raynare said to her.

"No," Kokabiel finally called out. "How do you dare to heal this Devil? Raynare, you are ruining everything," he shouted.

"And with pleasure," she replied.

In his anger he raised his arms, preparing another light-beam that he aimed at her.

"No, you won´t," Issei hissed and raised his Sword of Cronus at him. At the same time, he used Transfer to send some of his power to Raynare, while she in return used her 'Phoenix Twilight Healing´ to replace his lost strength.

"Ah, do I sense some attachment here?" Kokabiel turned around to him. His expression was now downright murderous. "Oh yes, I have heard about it. You love her, right? Despite that she had originally ended your life. Quite ironic, isn´t it? But as you wish, I will spare her for the last... After I kill every single other one of your friends."

He fired. But to everyone´s surprise he didn´t aim at Raynare. Instead, a small light-beam hit Murayama and left a gaping hole in her chest.

Issei felt how something cracked deep inside him as he saw his classmate and friend, who he did everything to save just two weeks ago, fell thought about everything Kokabiel had done... and he just could not longer take it. As he lost for a moment all control of his anger, he heard Ddraig´s voice hailing through his mind:

 **[I who is about to awaken, am the Heavenly Dragon who has taken the principles of Domination from God.]**

What is going on? Issei asked himself. Is this?  
On the outside, he at first only let out a loud painful, nearly inhuman, scream, nearly a howl. But then the change became truly visible.

 **[I laugh at the 'Infinite´ and I grieve at the 'Dream´.]** He was barely able to hear the rest of the chant that was now the center of his world. **[And I shall sink you to the depths of the Crimson Purgatory.]**

 _"Kill... Destroy him... Hate... Power,"_ Issei heard voices inside his mind. _"Use the power... Destroy... destroy the one you hate."_ At some level he was aware that this were the voices of the soul fragments from the past wielders that were stored inside his Sacred Gear that were screaming at him. But for him this knowledge made no real difference right now. Not when he was slowly loosing himself.

At the outside world Issei´s power suddenly literally exploded around him while he was still screaming. A few of them noticed him murmuring the strange words a moment later, the chant to activate the Juggernaut Drive.

The Earth was trembling and shaking under his feet. Unknown to them all for now, it was a quake that involved the greatest part of Japan, with Issei standing directly at the epi-center.

All his friends were looking at him worried. Even Kokabiel had halted as he sensed the unbelievable power suddenly radiating from him. Had he not been inside his Balance Breaker armor, they would have seen Issei´s eyes glowing in a bright deep green. But then they all saw it, as his armor began to change, mutate, becoming far more primal and savage looking, like a real Dragon. They all suspected and feared what this meant.

"Issei, no," Irina called out.

Raynare was standing close to Murayama, healing her. But that changed nothing. It was far too late. They both as well were watching horrified what happened to Issei.

 **[Boost boost boost boost b** ** **oost boost boost**** ** ** **boost boost boost b** ** **oost boost boost******** ** ** ** ** **boost b** ** **oost boost boost****** ,****] **Issei heard inside his mind. It was too much, too much to control, too much to even think. Subconsciously, he was at the same time changing, modifying, his human body, to channel even more power through him.

Issei had found out some time ago, during his short clash with Kiba Yuuto, that he was under certain situations able to mentally manipulate aspects of his own Sacred Gear. For example then when he had been able to access part of the power of his Balance Breaker, in this case the ability to boost multiple times at once, without actually using it. Now however it was not just his Sacred Gear that he was changing and reshaping with his thoughts, but his own human body. But it were thoughts that were going rampant and he was not longer able to fully control.

 **[Boost boost boost boost b** ** **oost**** ** ** **boost b** ** **oost boost boost******** ** ** ** ** **boost b** ** **oost boost boost****.****** ]  
**

Even Kokabiel was now starring in horror at what he had unleashed... and was unconsciously moving backwards. He had wanted a new war, what he got was something different. He watched how Issei´s power was quickly matching and then surpassing his own. And it was still growing.

Finally, he lifted off into the air. He was preparing another attack. But this time one that would wipe out the entire town as well... and hopefully this monster as well. He was collecting energy, enough to destroy everything in a 20 mile radius. But before he had the chance to fire, the now fully transformed Issei had already unleashed his own attack - a mutated form of Dragon Shot - at him.

The blast would have been enough to wipe out hundreds of Angels or Devils in one moment. Kokabiel´s form was completely vaporized.

They had 'won´ the battle. But if nothing happened, they were in danger to loose everything.

With his last truly conscious thought Issei flew off, getting as far away from the town as possible.

 **xxx**

As a small group arrived a short time later, closely followed by another one, what they found was not exactly what they had expected.

"Where is Kokabiel?" Azazel and Odin had asked them. The question was a short time repeated by Sirzechs and Grayfia who arrived a minute later. The answer they got was in both cases the same.

"He is dead. Issei killed him," Raynare explained. "But he..."

"He - he went into Juggernaut Drive," Rias said.

They all felt the incredible power only a few miles away from the town. It had already surpassed all of them, even Azazel and Sirzechs and it was still growing. They knew they needed to stop him. In this state, Issei was not only a threat to Kuoh, but the entire world.

So they made the only possible decision and followed him.

 **xxx**

Issei was standing inside a valley not far from the town. His mind however was far away. Part of Issei felt as if he was everywhere at once.

Unconsciously he released another wave of energy around him, burning everything in a two mile radius to ash. The small part of him that was actually aware what he was doing, but could only watch helplessly, was more glad whenever that he left Kuoh as he still could.

He felt the power flowing through him. It was enough to wipe out continents in the blink of an eye. He could cause tornados, tsunamis and earthquakes, just by thinking about it.

This Juggernaut Drive however was different from the ones of every past wielder, since the powers he had inherited from Darien were also part of it and not boosted in a similar way as the Boosted Gear´s.

He could sense, no, literally see, the circling molecules of the objects around him and he could manipulate them however he wanted. If he wanted he could turn mountain areas into seas, cities into deserts, sink entire countries into the ocean.

He sensed the others close by. They were coming for him, he knew. He could feel them as if they were standing right next to him:

Raynare, lonely, cynical and bitter about her life, yet strong-willed, loyal in her own way and yearning to be loved and cherished, but hiding all her feelings and insecurities behind a facade of arrogance and pride. Willing to kill for her goals... and plagued by terrible guilt over what she had done to him. Coming to deeply love him despite everything. But still being deeply devoted to her leader Azazel... nearly to the point of obsession until a short time ago.

His childhood friend Irina, who had fallen in love with him pretty early. Always devoted to him. Having a naughty side on her that she has normally buried deep inside. Until he had seen some of it recently. A deep faith in God and a nearly complete loyalty to the Church, even knowing his version in this universe is dead. Like the others, coming to `save´ him.

Asia, the innocent and gentle soul. Always seeing the best in everything and everyone, but since a short time she was letting her bitter experiences getting to her and making her a bit less optimistic.

Rias, proud and arrogant Devil, but with a soft side for her family and her peerage. Liar, manipulator and even murderer if it would serve her purpose, yet trying and wanting to be a good person.

He could know all of them better than himself, if he wanted, see every memory of them since their birth. Or he could rip their minds to shreds and drive them all insane with a single thought.

And the others... Only Odin, Azazel and Sirzechs were the only ones who mental defenses he could not instantly overcome... not yet. But even them, in this stage, he would be able to crack and look inside their minds. Or he could have if his own mind had consisted of anything else than the voices of a hundred past weilders, screaming at him and dragging him into dozens of different directions.

 _"You are the strongest,"_ he heard one voice saying, _"the strongest in this world... Rule it... use this power."_

The small part of him that was still aware watched as his body unleashed another blast, one even more powerful than the one who destroyed Kokabiel. Azazel and Vali were barely able to evade the attack that could have killed even them easily.

Issei felt the power flowing through him, enough to break the planet in half. He could even sense the time itself flowing and the world moving around him, like a band that he could grab and bend... or rip apart. Like the world was in his hand. But he lacked any control. It was not him using the power, it was the power... and the countless angry soul-fragments inside... that were controlling **him**.

At the outside world they all heard the roaring of the monster their friend had become and they saw the attack he had just send out in fright.

"Issei, please stop this," Irina called out to him. "I - we love you." She corrected herself as she saw Raynare giving her a short side-glance.

"Yes Issei, we love you," Raynare shouted as well. "I am sorry for what I have done in the past. You know that."

"Yes Issei," Asia who had arrived with Odin, Azazel and Vali called out to him, "please come back to us."

"Issei, I know I have called you a useless pervert more than once. But then you have saved me and... please don´t get yourself killed now," Murayama called out.

The others were doing the same, Rias, Akeno, Xenovia, Kiba. He - a small part of them - heard them all... and was trying with all his strength to regain control.

`My friends,´ he felt himself thinking, `they are here. They are trying to help me, but... Ddraig,´ How should he? What should he do?

 **xxx**

 **[Partner,]** he heard one voice out of the many.

'Ddraig,´ he thought.

 **[Yes Partner. What we are experiencing now is the Juggernaut Drive. A curse placed upon me and Albion when we were sealed in the Sacred Gears you could say. In this state the hate, anger, bitterness and hunger for power, acquainted from hundreds of past hosts... and from myself... has taken control. I have gone through this before. But I admit this time it seems even worse than the lasts. The power you have received from the Guardians is still mixing with my own... and the result is even more terrible and uncontrollable. We can and we very likely will destroy this world if we stay like this for longer.]**

'Can we stop it?´ Issei asked him.

 **[Yes,]** Ddraig answered. **[But there is only one way. We have to convince the past hosts... or to destroy them.]**  
'I understand,´ Issei replied.

 **[Partner, to do that, we have to work together. You have to bound your power and your thoughts to mine.]**

For a short moment, Issei saw himself floating in an empty space, right in front of the giant red form of Ddraig. Then he felt himself reaching out to him.  
And suddenly, for a few seconds more, Issei and Ddraig were one, two halves of a whole.

As a side effect however his power on the outside grew even more... to everyone present´s shock. For Azazel it nearly felt like back then than he had faced Ddraig in his original form all those years ago. Normally the energy would have been far more than Issei´s human body could have channeled and it would have destroyed him, if he had not `modified´ it before.

 **`Silence.´** a loud voice, coming from them both was halling through Issei´s mind. **`You - no we - we have to stop this,´** he called to the fragments of the past wielders. `This is wrong, dangerous,´ Issei shouted again. `We will destroy everything.´

But the soul fragments were not listening and continued their rampage, preparing another attack directed at his friends.

Then Issei/Ddraig did something else. He used all the strength he could still muster and send a mental picture into his own mind to all of them. It showed them what exactly they had become;... a rampaging monster that could only kill and destroy and would devastate the world, until either they would kill themselves or they would be left alone on nothing but a burning mountain of ruins.

 **`Is it that what you want to be?´** Issei asked them all.

Most of the soul fragments hesitated now, after he had hammered the picture into their collective mind. Only a few of them still continued, the most fanatical and insane under them.

At the same time however some of the shackles on Issei´s own self was released and he managed to regain some control of his powers again. And he also felt help he was receiving from the outside. Odin, Raynare, Gaeriel, Azazel and Sirzechs, they all were using their own telepathic powers to assist him, to help him regain control.

In the next moment Issei send a powerful wave of telepathy and magical energy through his own mind. As a result, the remaining soul fragments who still tried to continue the destruction were burned away and destroyed... the ones however who had been willing to change and stop were spared.

Then suddenly, it was over. The giant power that had built itself up dissipated and disappeared and all what was left was Issei´s human self.

He sank down to his knees, completely exhausted and drained. He saw the others lading right next to him.

Raynare and Irina were both taking him into their arms, with Asia only close behind.

Then he drifted off into sleep.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Asgard, DxD universe, a short time later_

To say the North Gods of this world were surprised would be a complete understatement. They were shocked.

Most of them had been sitting together on a large table for the evening, as suddenly out of nowhere, a double of Odin appeared... and over his shoulder he was carrying nobody else than a bound Loki.

"What the...?" someone called out. The reaction of everyone was more or less like you would have expected. Many stood there like frozen in place, others had taken their weapons out.

Thor was moving in front of `Odin´ and his prisoner.

"Who are you?" he asked, a bit aggressively but controlled, "and why are you holding my brother captive?" He also saw the great resemblance the stranger had to his father.

"Ah Thor, I am happy to see you, even if you are not really the same," `Odin´ replied. "I am as you could call it, a traveler between dimensions. And about my identity. I think you can guess," he said while he was showing them his version of the spear Gungir that he was holding in front of his body."

The Aesir all saw and of course recognized it.

"Very interesting," the other Odin replied, "if you are who you claim to be. Stand down, for now," he addressed the gods and Valkyries who had their weapond drawn. "I admit I never expected to meet myself," he grinned. "The magic power of your spear is clearly real. Even if it is somehow different from my own."

"That means he is either who he claims to be or a **very** good imitation," Thor stated.

"In either case it would be better to keep a close eye on me, right?" `Odin´ suggested.

Two of the Valkyries, who were standing right next to `their´ Odin´s throne, were exchanging a quick look. One of them, a silver haired woman named Rossweisse, was especially stunned to see this double of their master.

"But that doesn´t explain why you bring Loki back here in chains," Thor replied.

"Your son here had made a deal with a very dangerous being named Crocel, who is luckily dead now, about a weapon that could help him bring the end of the world," 'Odin´ explained to his counterpart. "How he will surely tell you about when you interrogate him."

Loki said nothing, just looking at the ground, clenching his teeth.

Odin seemed to look at them thoughtfully.

"Too bad," he said, "I didn´t thought that Loki would do something like that. At least not so suddenly. I have known that Loki would try to start Ragnarok sooner or later. But I had never thought that he would try it in this way... and teaming up with an outsider?" he shrugged.

"By the way, may I ask what exactly you have been doing while all of that happened?" 'Odin´ asked his counterpart. "If you kept a closer watch on him from the beginning, this wouldn´t have been necessary. I mean you knew that he would try to start Ragnarok at one point, right? If I were you, I would ask my Valkyries to keep an eye on him the entire time."

"Oh well, you see, I had important business to attend to," Odin replied. "But that with the Valkyries is a great idea, really? I don´t know why I didn´t thought of that?"

"What important business was that?" `Odin´ inquired from his counterpart.

"Father was just visiting strip-clubs and chasing after women, with the Valkyrie Rossweisse watching over him as usual," Thor stated, rolling his eyes.

`Odin´ felt how his face fell.

"What?"

"Thor," Odin hissed slightly, "there is no reason to mention this now."

"I only thought if we allow our new guest to stay a bit longer, to make sure he is truly who he claims to be, he should know what he is getting himself into," the Thunder God smirked.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The underworld, 2 days later_

It was over. The battle against Kokabiel, against Crocel. They had won.

Issei had woken up a good day after the fight was over. Juggernaut Drive, they all knew had taken up a lot of his life energy, but still he was recovering incredible quickly. Given Azazel´s calculations, he should have lost maybe ten to twelve percent of his lifespan. Since he had only been a short time in Juggernaut Drive and actually managed to overcome it. But as it turned out a bit later however, his lost life-energy seemed in fact to be regenerating itself.

Azazel mentioned that he had a theory about this, but he still needed to check a few things. Issei didn´t need to wait for his results. He had a good idea what had happened as a side effect of overcoming the Juggernaut Drive. He sensed the change in himself. The transformation that had begun during his resurrection was now completed, by his own hand. With other words, he had become immortal.

The bodies of Crocel and Sartael had been recovered and buried by now. From Kokabiel and Dohnaseek however or the many guards who had died in the castle in Bulgaria, there had been no remains left to discover.

120 humans had died during Kokabiel´s attack by the last account. The Devils explained the destruction to the public as a terrorist attack. What was ironically also the truth, except for the detail of the `terrorist´ not being human. The spirit of the people in Kuoh, humans and Devils alike, was hit hard by the sudden attack, but they also were recovering. Otherwise, the life in his hometown continued as always.

It was the cruelest, most brutal and terrible fight they had ever taken part of. But all in all, they got lucky. Dohnaseek was the only member of their team they had truly lost, the only one the improved Twilight Healing couldn´t save in the end... and even the number of killed civilians could have been much higher, given Kokabiel´s power.

Issei´s and Irina´s doubles had returned to their own world one day later. But not without agreeing to stay in contact for a while.

For Issei, there was only one thing left to do.

 **xxx**

In this moment he was standing here, in the middle of a fighting-arena in some sort of provisorical pocket-dimension, that was designed to look exactly like Kuoh Academy.

To be more precise it had been the fighting place for the Rating Game between Rias peerage and Raiser Phenex. Like it was agreed the Game had taken place... and like anyone could have predicted, Rias had lost. While she and her peerage had grown incredible during the last weeks, physically and mentally - and nobody could deny that they had been putting up a great fight - they were still being outnumbered sixteen against four... and their opponents had been experienced in the games and quite powerful.

They never had a true chance. Still, the Gremory peerage had actually managed to take out half of Raiser´s before they had been defeated.

Now the next part of the schedule for today had arrived... and how many people in the Underworld though, the real show. It was the announced duel between the third son of the House of Phenex and Issei Hyoudou, the Sekiryuutei and the man who had slain Kokabiel. It was something that spread through the Underworld like a wildfire.

Issei and Raiser were standing about ten meters in front of each other, on what was an exact replica of Kuoh Academy´s school-yard. While the Phenex had his typical arrogant posture however, he was now looking at Issei with a measure of respect he didn´t possess before.

"I admit I owe you my thanks for saving my sister Sekiryuutei," Raiser addressed him. "But you still won´t win today. You won´t defeat Raiser Phenex."

"I am sorry to disappoint you Raiser," Issei replied casually, "but I have faced far worse beings than you."

"You might have killed Kokabiel. But we both know that you had help and had only gotten lucky."

"Really? Then Raiser, let us have a good fight. Wouldn´t you agree?" Issei stated.

"This is something we can agree on," Raiser grinned.

"But if you are **so** sure of yourself," Issei responded, "how about a little bet?" he smiled at him. "Let me make the first strike."

"If that is your wish. Only to show you how chanceless you are," Raiser replied.

"Can I use a weapon?" Issei asked and materialized his trainings-sword in his hand.

"You can. It will make no difference," he stated, completely confident in his regeneration ability.

"Don´t worry. I will not cause any dangerous wounds."

"Believe me Sekiryuutei, you won´t be able to," Raiser responded, just standing there as Issei readied his sword.

Overconfidence is your downfall Phenex, he thought to himself.

Issei moved incredible fast. Like he had said, he was only causing a light cut as he sliced the blade over Raiser´s face. But it was already more than enough.  
Raiser instantly moved his hand to his cheek as he felt the bleeding cut. It was at first only light surprise. But then it turned into complete shock as he realized one thing. The wound was not disappearing like it was supposed to.

"What? No - no, that is impossible," he called out. Raiser was staring at his opponent open mouthed and completely unbelieving.

The reaction from the crowd who was watching the fight was quite similar, stunned silence. This boy, Issei Hyoudou, had a way to negate the Phenex regeneration.

"Now Raiser, do you still think that I can do nothing to you?" he remarked.

He once again moved, taking the still shocked Raiser completely off-guard... and punched him right in the face. As Rias had once mentioned to him, the best way to defeat a Phenex, was to completely destroy his self-confidence, since his regeneration ability was influenced by his mind-set. Not that he even needed to do this.

Raiser was looking up to him, still completely out of it.

"Don´t you think it would be better to give up?" Issei stated. "You are clearly not in a good state."  
Something in Raiser´s expression changed.

"No," he called out, "I won´t loose. I won´t," he screamed and threw a wave of fire at Issei, who however easily dodged it.

"As you wish," he said quietly. Issei activated a partial Balance Breaker, using his ability to manipulate his own Sacred Gear with his mind. A dragon-scale armor formed around his right hand.

 **[Boost, boost, boost.]** He felt his power multiplying... and then hit Raiser once again and knocked him out.

Raiser was now lying motionless in the makeshift arena. What followed was once again silence from the spectators... that was then suddenly followed by cheers and still unbelieving applause.

He had just defeated a Phenex, with two hits. The story of the boy who had slain Kokabiel would now quickly turn into a legend in the Underworld.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Far away in another dimension - Universe 003-09, somewhere in space_

The two members of the Guardians, together with three others, were standing in front of the scene they had come here to investigate.

The other three were members of the Green Lantern Corps, a group of intergalactic peacekeepers who existed in this world like in some other similar ones, the most well known for the Guardians, Universe 003, that this one here was a close variation from. Only that the history had developed somewhat different in some details. Two of the three Green Lanterns were aliens from different races, the third was human.

They were on a remote place, on a remote planet, in a remote part of space somewhere in a small satellite-galaxy of the Milky Way. With other words, at the outer edge of habituated space.

Here they were standing, next to their temporally allies, at part of the outskirts of one of the larger settlements. It was the scene of a massacre. In front of them were lying the remains of more than 20 natives of the planet. All of them reduced to nothing but piles of ashes and bones.

"Are we sure it is **him**?" the Guardian called Doctor Strange asked Darien, who was standing right next to him. While he had been the Supreme Sorcerer on their Earth, a long time ago and had since then gathered centuries of experience and more power than he could ever have imagined, he had never faced this particular opponent directly before. But Darien did.

"The leftovers of the energy-signatures, the psychic traces. You have sensed it yourself," the Guardian leader stated. "It is nearly the same as I remember."  
"But only nearly," Doctor Strange replied.

"If it is truly him, then he had lost most of his power, his physical vessel... and had been in this state for decades. Of course there would be differences. And if it is **not** him, then a creature very similar in nature and also a possible threat for this universe," Darien responded.

"So you believe it is this being you have been talking about?" the human Green Lantern questioned.

"We have been tracing and following this creature over four sectors by now," one of the two alien Lanterns pointed out. "On over a dozen worlds we found signs of its presence. Wherever it goes, it kills sentient beings seemingly at random. This is already the third massacre like this we have found."

"I see," Darien replied. "If it is the one we are thinking or not, we will help you to stop this being. If we are right, then one of our greatest enemies has returned and we have to prevent him from regaining his old power. Or entire worlds could end up like this."

* * *

 **For this chapter I have reintroduced the `phasing´ technique that I had introduced for the Guardians in the first chapters.**

 **This was the final of the second story arc. With the next one the story will start to concentrade more on the parallel reality concept.**


	17. Chapter 17: New Day (Arc 3: start)

**Chapter 17**

 _Kuoh town_

Several things had happened in the time since the battle against Kokabiel and the duel with Raiser afterwards, had ended.

 **xxx**

Issei remembered how he had woken up after the fight... and his change into the Juggernaut Drive... and how everyone had greeted him. He was glad that they all were okay... everyone except Dohnaseek. His body had been completely destroyed, even beyond the augmented Twilight Healing´s abilities. It was also the moment when he met some of the others for the first time. Well, at least when he was not controlled by the Juggernaut Drive.

To his surprise he got along with the leader of the Fallen Angels quite well. Azazel, outside of being leader of the Grigori, seemed to be an easy-going guy with a sense of humor and a similar appreciation for women as he himself had.

Of course there was the detail that his first girlfriend (and, by now deeply regretful, killer) had obvious feelings for him. But as he already admitted, with him having her, Irina and Asia with him... plus planning to build up a harem, it wasn´t as if he had much to talk about here. In the end they quickly agreed that, should Azazel ever decide to return her feelings, he would be willing to share her with him. After Raynare had agreed to his dream of a harem, he could hardly say something else, right? Of course there was no real guaranty that this would even be happening.

There was however another one of the `new faces´ who unsettled Issei far more. He remembered all too well the look that Vali Lucifer had send in his direction as the two met. The White Dragon Emperor, He had heard the long story between the hosts of Ddraig and Albion... the greatest part of it from Ddraig himself.

 _"I am looking forward to fighting you in the future Issei Hyoudou,"_ Vali had said to him.

All his senses told him that the Hakuryuukou was even stronger than Kokabiel had been. Great, as it looked he would have another incredible strong enemy in the future. At least this one would probably not intentionally target his friends and his home-town...

... At least Issei hoped so.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The Underworld_

A certain Devil, sitting in his personal castle, was just thinking about the events of the last day. Like so many others he had been present during the fight in the arena and had watched Issei Hyoudou in person.

No matter how much he hated the idea of her being close to **him** , even Diodora Astaroth knew it would be foolish to confront a being that powerful without a very good plan. To that came that he had just lost his closest ally in his latest plot.

"Master, a guest is wanting to see you. It is the person you were waiting for," one of his servants, a very attractive young woman, informed him, while he was sitting on his personal throne.

"Good... let him in," Diodora told her smiling.

"Ah Shalba, it is good to see you," he said to the other Devil who entered the room a few minutes later.

These two had, in a twisted way, many things in common. All surrounding one thing, the name and title of Beelzebub, one of the four Maou.

 **xxx**

Shalba Beelzebub was the son of the original Maou Beelzebub, while Diodora was the brother of the current holder of the title, Ajuka, after the original´s death. And Shalba was a member of the so called Old Maou Factions of the Devils.

Back after the end of the Great War, at the time when the civil-war under the Devils had broken out, this was the faction who still followed the ideals of their old rulers. They wanted to continue the war and to put the direct descendants of the former Devil Kings in their place. The group following Sirzechs and the other new Maou however had wanted an end of the hostilities and the chance to rebuild their civilization. In the end it was the `New Maou Faction´ that won out and Sirzechs, Serafall, Ajuka and Falbion became the new rulers of the Underworld.

The Old Maou Faction however still existed, today however it had become one of the many sub-groups of Khaos Brigade. What few people were aware of however, was that the overthrown children of the old Devil Kings were still holding important positions in the organization... and of course they were craving for revenge on the people who had taken the titles which they thought belonged rightfully to them. On these people and their families.

 **xxx**

"Diodora," the newcomer returned the greeting. "I have news for you from our contacts."

"Ah, good good. I had hoped to hear from you soon. Like you probably heard, the good Kokabiel is dead and his plans have failed. A shame really. If that maniac had actually managed to start a new war, we all could have realized our goals far easier." He shrugged.

"Yes, it is a shame," Shalba replied. While they were speaking he had passed the room and was now standing right in front of Diodora.

"Now I have to plan again from the beginning. I know it won´t be easy and it could be dangerous. But I just cannot leave my precious Asia in the hands of that filthy Dragon named Hyoudou. I am sure you understand my friend." He smiled.

It was one of this smiles that were friendly on the outside, but gave you the creeps if you knew what was truly behind it.

"Of course," Shalba replied, returning his smile. "If there is one thing that can be said about you than that you are truly devoted to the women you set your eyes on," he remarked.

"I see. You and me understand each other. Now tell me, what kind of help will the organization offer me? I am of course willing to offer my resources and connections in return..."

Before Diodora could say anything else however, Shalba had already stabbed him.

"What...?" he asked in shock.

"As I had told your servant, I have a message from our associates. Now that your idiotic scheme with Kokabiel has been blown, you have become a security risk. I have been told to eliminate you." He used his weapon to cut even deeper through Diodora´s body, causing his victim even greater pain.

"You know, I would really like to tell you that I don´t enjoy about this. But that would be a lie," Shalba stated coldly. "To think that you actually believed that I was actually okay with working with a member of a clan of usurpers and pretenders. That I would willingly associate with scum like you." He grinned. "But behind all your posturing you were never very bright, weren´t you? About your little playthings and your other servants? Don´t worry about them. They will all be joining you. We don´t want any loose ends left after all."

He looked down at the dying Devil before him.

"And all that just because of a girl. Not power or glory or even status. No, just for another Nun that you liked to fuck. Really, how low can you get?"

This was all he said before the last life left Diodora and he just let his corpse lying on the ground without a care.

As Shalba walked outside, he was greeted by the sight of dozens of dead bodies... and the small army of robed and masked assassins from Khaos Brigade who had accompanied him here.

Diodora´s entire peerage, all of them former Nuns and Holy Maidens who had been excommunicated because of his various tricks and then corrupted by him... and the guards that had protected this place, his men had taken care of them quite quickly. The servant who had announced his arrival to Diodora a minute earlier lied right in front of the entrance.

"Is that all of them?" he asked one of the assassins.

"Yes sir," he replied.

"Good," he answered. "Then let us leave. I don´t want to spend more time at this place then necessary," he said, looking around.

 **xxxxxxx**

On the next day after the fight against Raiser, Issei had come back home and had now officially `introduced´ his girlfriend Yuuma to his parents. With other words, she had restored their memories of the fact that she existed... and the chance to meet them in person.

And he had also brought Irina with them and introduced her as his second girlfriend.

To say that they were stunned would be an understatement. With the way their son usually acted, they would have hardly expected him to bring a girlfriend with home anywhere in the close future, even less two.

He had not informed them about his connection with the supernatural, not yet. Maybe he could bring himself to do that at some point in the future.

Of course they both remembered Irina from a few years back and were happy to see her. Okay, that she and Issei would get together would not even have surprised them, that much... but not with another girl involved. That technically Asia was involved in their relationship as well, had they not even mentioned... yet.

"And you are okay with this?" Issei´s mother asked Yuuma a bit surprised.

"Yes I am," she answered. "To be honest... me and Issei, we had problems recently and... and it was all only my fault. I had treated him horrible. But he has forgiven me and even taken me back."

"You should not agree with something like that just because you are feeling guilty," Issei´s mother said sternly. "You seem like a nice girl and whatever you have done, I am sure you are sorry about it. My son should truly not take advantage of you like this."

`Lady you have not the slightest idea what you are talking about,´ Raynare thought. `If you knew all what really happened, you would be the first to tell him to dump me for Irina or Asia.´ What riled her up the most was that this human woman - his own mother - rather blamed Issei than her for their problem. Ever if she had already clearly said that it had been **her** fault. It was nearly as if she didn´t take what she said seriously.

For a moment she felt the urge to erase the ignorant fool´s memory of the entire conversation... Or even more simple, to just punch her in the face. But she knew that Issei would hardly approve of something like that.

But still her patience was running thin.

"Listen Mrs. Hyoudou, what I did was bad, really bad."

"So you did cheat on... " Issei´s mother began to say.

 **"No** ," both she and Issei called out at nearly the same time.

Raynare could not believe in what direction the conversation went. Of course **that** was the first they would think of... humans, typical, she thought. And people said Fallen Angels were perverted. She frowned.

"Yuuma wouldn´t do that," Issei said. Except maybe if it was with Azazel of course, he thought. "She is not perfect. But this is not one of her mistakes. What happened is... something different. I don´t really want to talk about it. It is just, she made some decisions, someone told her things about me that weren´t true, but she believed it and... and things went wrong between us because of it." The understatement of the year, he thought. "But I still love her."

"Okay," Issei´s father said now. "It seems you really don´t want to talk about whatever happened. But if you say you worked it out and that you love this girl - well, these girls - then we will accept it. Even if it is a bit unusual," he mentioned, looking from `Yuuma´ to Irina and back. "I admit I had not thought that you would actually find girls who are willing to get along with this."

"Hey, haven´t I told you many times? I am going to have a harem," Issei announced. "This is just the beginning."

Both of his parents sweat-dropped at his declaration. But none of them said anything.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Asgard_

For Odin, former King of Asgard in his own dimension and currently member of the Guardians. one thing was clear. He had messed up.

He remembered how Issei Hyoudou had fallen into the Juggernaut Drive. Of course he had overcome it... and as it looked there would not even be lasting damage.

But it was something that he **should** have prevented from happening in the first place. But in the end even gods and other super-beings were prone to making mistakes, as he already knew from long experience.

They had originally planned to deal with the problem of the soul fragments inside Issei´s sub consciousness before they had allowed him to go on a mission like that. Just like they should have. For obvious reasons they had tried if possible to avoid the simple solution and just eliminate them. Despite only being parts of the souls of people who had long moved on, they were still a form of sentient life.

But then Darien and most of the others suddenly had to take care of this line of potential threats in several other worlds first. And then Gaeriel had to run head first into all of this.

In the end, nothing all too serious had happened. It was the usual routine. Both sides were making moves around each other, drawing lines, provoking reactions and manipulating the fates of entire worlds to their agenda.

Still Odin knew all that didn´t change the simple fact that **he** had made a mistake. He should have taken the matter into his own hands and helped Issei Hyoudou to remove the possible threat **before** they left to stop Kokabiel and Crocel. But he had not thought of it and this entire planet had been put at risk because of this. But Odin of all people knew that it solved nothing to ponder on mistakes that had once been made.

In the moment he was in Asgard, together with his counterpart, Thor and the other Aesir of this world. Sometimes it nearly felt as if he was back home, at the time when the Thor and Loki of his world had still been alive, they and his wife, their mother.

That however were the times when he got it pretty much slapped around his face that this was not his world and he wasn´t home. Most of these incidents came pretty much down to one source... his own counterpart.

A few days back the other Odin had actually invited him along to visit a strip-club. Having nothing better to do and as he admitted, being still a bit depressed about his failure to deal with Issei´s Juggernaut Drive, he actually agreed.

It ended up with him sitting around, not really interested, drinking one beer after the other, while his other self was celebrating the entire night and making advanced on several of the girls. All that while the Valkyrie who had been introduced as Rossweisse was desperately trying to keep him somewhat in line.

From time to time his counterpart would encourage him to pay more attention to the half-naked women all around them. He and Rossweisse exchanged a short look... both of them were feeling the urge to just shrug with their shoulders.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The next day - Kuoh Academy  
_

Raynare, Kalawarner, as well as Irina and Xenovia and of course Gaeriel had by now moved into the mansion that was serving as the headquarter of their group and made it their new home.

School had started again for all of them, after the two weeks break. One of the first new developments was that Kuoh Academy had gotten four new `students´. The first one was Maia Hyoudou - alias Asia Argento - the new foster sister of Issei, Yuuma Amano a.k.a Raynare, Irina Shidou and Xenovia Quarta.

Everyone was staring at Issei as he arrived. Or more precisely at the fact that he was being surrounded by no less than five pretty girls as he did.

The names of these five girls were first Irina, Yuuma/Raynare and Asia, who was officially his foster sister... what surprised all of them the most, Murayama... captain of the kendo-club and one of the girls who Issei used to peek on and who were often seen attacking him because of it... and the last one was Ravel Phenex.

The pure-blood Devil had, only a few days after she had been freed by them, been enrolled into Kuoh Academy and was now following Issei wherever he walked - claiming that he was her hero.

Ironically, around the same time it came to a fallout between the Houses of Gremory and Phenex following the duel and the cancelation of the engagement. The reason was talk about a secret agreement between members of the House of Gremory and Issei Hyoudou, to intentionally provoke Raiser into an official fight, to get Rias Gremory out of the marriage agreement.

As it turned out, one of the Fallen Angels that were participating in her rescue had `accidentally´ revealed this information to Ravel Phenex... and she had told it to her parents. But of course, even though it was true, this changed nothing about the outcome. Since the stakes had been agreed upon the honor of both Houses. But it still caused a visible dent in the relationship of both clans, that would probably take some time to repair. And an alliance between them of any sort certainly won´t happen anywhere in the close future.

Rias however knew perfectly well what was the reason for this. Gaeriel, that Fallen Angel had managed to pull a fast one on her again. But despite that, she admitted her and Issei´s plan had saved her from actually being married off to Raiser.

 **xxx**

Some of the first people they met as they arrived at school were, not quite surprisingly, Matsuda and Motohama. Their reaction was also not quite surprising.

"Issei," both of them shouted, "what is going on here? Why are you with an entire bunch of chicks? What have you done?"

"Let me deal with them Issei-darling," Raynare said to him with a bright smile... at the outside.

"Hey, Matsuda and Motohama, right? How nice to see you again," she greeted the two in her best `nice girl´ impression.

"Eh, again?" Motohama asked.

"We have never seen you before," Matsuda cried out.

"Yes, there is no way we would ever forget someone like you," Motohama exclained. "Especially this measurements," he stated, while adjusting his glasses and taking looks at Raynare´s chest, upper body and her butt.

"What are you saying?" Yuuma exclaimed, making a shocked face. "How can you not remember me? I am Issei-kun´s girlfriend after all." She was visibly pouting.

"You are **what**?" they both yelled.

"How could you not tell us that? Issei you bastard." Matsuda shouted.

"But he did. Do you really not remember?" Yuuma asked them. "Think about it," she told them.

In this moment she used her mental powers to `restore´ their memories of their last meetings. Or better said, since their original memories had been erased, she used her own to recreate them. For her this was child´s play.

Her telepathic powers, that had already been formidable before, were now several times stronger after the training. She could now influence the minds of hundreds - maybe even thousands - of people at once if she wanted.

If she wanted she could have walked across the entire town naked and kept everyone from even noticing. Of course that would somehow defeat the purpose of doing it in the first place. Not that she intended to actually do this.

The two perverted boys were now starring at her in shock.

"I - I... remember," Motohama stammered.

"Yuuma... Yeah. How could we ever forget Yuuma?" Matsuda called out in shock.

"Yes! How could we ever forget these boobs?" Motohama shouted, pointing directly at Raynare´s chest... drawing the attention of a few students who were passing along. And looking at them with contempt.

But since this was the perverted trio involved, it wasn´t so unusual to them... and they just continued on their way.

"Maybe you just couldn´t accept that your friend Issei would win a girl like me, while you are still single. ...And so you just forced it out of your mind?" Yuuma offered with a good dose of pride.

"Yes, that must it be," Motohama stated.

"We have just repressed it," Matsuda said. "Sorry Yuuma... and sorry Issei. We shouldn´t have yelled at you like that."

"Don´t worry, whatever happened, it is all alright now, right guys?" Issei asked them. "No harm done."

They both nodded.

"Okay, but who are the other girls?" Matsuda asked.

"I am Irina Shidou," Irina introduced herself. "Issei and I knew each other when we were children and I have returned to Kuoh a short time ago."

"I am Maia, Maia Hyoudou," Asia stated. "Issei-kun´s parents have taken me in... so I am now his foster sister."

"And they are both in love with Issei-kun too... and so I am sharing him with them," Yuuma told them cheerfully.

"What?" Matsuda and Motohama both called out. Their faces were now switching between deathly pale and bright red.

"Yes, you know Issei-kun is always talking about his plans to build a harem and I love him so much that I decided to agree to it."

`More like you are plagued with guild and are scared out of your mind that Issei would give up on you for one of them,´ Raynare thought to herself. But she couldn´t help to say that she enjoyed the completely flabbergasted looks on the two boys faces.

"And this is Xenovia... and Ravel," she introduced the other two, "she is something like a fangirl."

"A fangirl?" Matsuda asked surprised.

"Yes, she adores Issei-kun and follows him everywhere, you will see. But I think we all should go to class now, right?"

"Yes, she is right," Issei stated. "If you excuse us. We will be off then."

"Raynare, why are you doing something like this?" Irina asked her a few moments later.

"What do you mean?" she asked `innocently´.

"You know exactly what Irina meant Raynare," Issei told her. "Why were you toying with them like that? You could have just restored their memories the moment we met. Or not doing it at all. Instead you gave them their memories back right in the middle of your conversation."

"And - and why have you told them that we are with Issei-kun as well?" Asia asked her.

"Okay, okay, you are right. It is just that being a student here is kind of pointless for me. It is all just a facade for my cover identity. There is nothing to actually learn here for me that has a real worth. So if I really haven´t anything else to do here, I can at least spend my time having some fun with our more simple minded fellow-students, right?"

In this moment Irina slapped her on the back of her head.

"Ouch! Why did you do this Irina?" she asked.

"I am only doing what you wanted. You have told me to hit you over the head whenever you start to act like an arrogant bitch, remember?" She grinned. "Or have your problems with your memory as well?" she asked, teasing her.

"Okay. I swear I will not harm anyone... and I won´t use my powers on anybody," Yuuma said.

"Good."

"But that doesn´t mean that I can´t have some fun, right? Maybe you should try it as well."

But `M & M´ were not the last students they met.

 **xxx**

"Murayama, what in the world are you doing here with Hyoudou of all people?" they heard Katase, a pink haired girl, one of the other members of the kendo-club and her best friend, cry out as she saw all of them together at the corridor before their class-room.

"Oh, we are just Issei-kun´s new harem," Raynare announced before Murayama herself had even the chance to speak. "And Murayama here is our honor-member, since she was able to ride him longer than any other of us did last night," she claimed.

The girls all felt how their jaws dropped. Saying something like that to the two members of the perverted trio was one thing... but this?

Issei only looked at her in surprise... but then he grinned.

"Ray-... **Yuuma** ," Murayama was now literally screaming at her, completely red in the face. "Why in the world are you saying something like that?"

"Mu-Mur... tell me that is not true," Katase - a bit green in the face - stammered.

"Of course not," she called out. "It is just that... Issei helped me a few days ago, when... when I had been attacked by a few guys. I - I could have probably taken care of it by myself. But I am not quite sure. It were two afterall. But with both of us there, we easily scared them off. So I decided to give Hyoudou a chance... even if he is a pervert," he added.

"Really?" Katase asked surprised.

They all realized at this point that Yuuma was shaking from barely suppressed laughter and holding her sides.

"Really, you should have seen your faces," she giggled.

"You," Katase nearly growled.

"But the offer stands if any of you two want to `ride´ me," Issei now remarked grinning.

"Pervert," Murayama and Katase exclaimed at the same time. Their sentiment seemed to be shared by the other students standing around, who were watching the exchange.

"Oh, you two are just **too** serious about all this," Raynare/Yuuma stated.

"Ahm, this is Yuuma. She is Issei´s girlfriend," Murayama introduced her.

"Well, they make a **perfect** couple it seems." Katase frowned. "She is obviously a pervert as well."

"Here we fully agree," Yuuma said, holding Issei by the arm.

"And who are the others?" Katase wanted to know.

The four remaining girls exchanged a short look with each other. Then they smirked.

"I am Irina Shidou, I am happy to meet you. I am Issei-kun´s other girlfriend," she said, taking his other arm.

"What?" Katase cried out. She could not quite believe what she had just heard.

"I am Issei´s new foster sister Maia," Asia claimed. "... but... but I am going to be his lover as well," she said and wrapped her arms around Issei´s body.

"I am Ravel Phenex... and I intend to become a member of his harem as well," she stated openly, not ashamed at all.

Neither Katase or any of the other students said anything.

"Sorry Murayama, it seems we have broken your friend," Raynare stated a moment later. They looked at Katase who was only starring at them with an open mouth, seemingly unable to say anything.

"Don´t worry about it," Murayama replied. "Katase is tough. I am sure she will be okay when she has managed to accept the fact that Issei has now actually success with some girls. As long as I don´t tell her that I decided to become a member of your little harem as well, she will be able to take it."

"Oh come on. We both know you want to," Raynare teased her.

"Don´t overdo it `Yuuma´," Murayama told her.

"And you," someone asked Xenovia, "don´t tell us you are with Hyoudou as well?"

"No, I am actually Yuuto-kun´s girlfriend," she responded.

" **What?** " at least a dozen girls around cried out as they heard this - a few of them in rage.

The `Prince of Kuoh-Acadamy´ who most girls in the school, nearly all of them included, had their eyes on... now had a girlfriend?

This also seemed to shake Katase back out of her shocked state... and right into another one.

"You... you are Kiba´s... ?" she asked.

"Yes," she answered stoically. "Come now, it is getting late. We have to get to class," she said to the others and they went on the rest of their way.

"You were right by the way Raynare," Irina whispered to her a few seconds later, "... this was kind of fun, seeing their faces. But our reputation?"

"Who cares about that?" Yuuma replied. "It is not as if we actually need to go to school."

"Speak only for yourself," Murayama stated. "I can only hope that they all will get it into their heads that I am one of the few people here who are not Hyoudou´s girlfriend."

"... Yet," Raynare added tauntingly.

"Shut up."

 **xxx**

The classes had started.

Everything was more or less back to normal.

Well, except for the detail that all five of the girls... including Murayama... had been asked a dozen times by a dozen different people, if they were truly all with Hyoudou or if it had all just been a joke. After giving the same answer over and over again, even Raynare had enough. Humans, she thought. How could one species produce so many interesting people and so many idiots at the same time? she asked herself.

 **xxx**

Another notable difference was that Issei had stopped peeking on the girls locker rooms, together with Matsuda and Motohama and even apologized to the girls of the kendo club at one point... well, in some way. Since his apology included telling them all how much he still admired their bodies and the size of their breasts, but that he had been doing it in the wrong way, many of them were still sending him angry or at least confused glared. But in the end they left it at that.

 **xxx**

They all used the time to catch up with their friends and the students they knew about what they had done during the last two weeks.

 **xxx**

Murayama for example was back with her kendo-club for their training. Right now she was however training with three of her team-mates at the same time and easily dominating them. Not only had she grown stronger and faster during the two-week training, her new telepathic abilities, to practically read their intentions before they were doing something, gave her an enormous advantage over her opponents.

If she wanted she could have probably taken the entire club at the same time... and actually she was holding back, because she didn´t want to reveal to her friends that she now could actually be considered super-human. Even if it was still on a low level.

Her teammates of course were surprised and shocked at the unbelievable level of progress she had made.

"Tell me, what the hell have you done at this two-week trip?" Katase asked her.

 **xxxxxxx**

Another surprise came for Issei a week later, when he got a call from Rias if he could meet her. Raynare, Irina, Asia and Ravel of course insisted to come with him, just in case the Devil wanted to make a move on him without them knowing first. Xenovia was coming along as well, also because she wanted to visit Yuuto.

What Rias then revealed to them however was something completely different. She informed them that her peerage had another member, one that they never heard of before and who had taken part in neither the training or the Rating Game. In fact, he had been hiding away the entire time... and she wanted to asked Issei to help her servant with his problems.

Not only that, this member - a Bishop - was a Half-Vampire with an extremely rare talent that allowed him to temporally stop time.

"And you only bothered to mention this now?" Issei had asked her angrily. He continued to give her a talk-down about her sheer stupidity of not mentioning this fact earlier.

As she then introduced this servant to them... well, he was not what any of them would have expected. What they found was a small young boy, Gaspar, as Rias said his name was, who was wearing a girls-school uniform - actually he was looking pretty much like a girl - he had unusual pointed ears, that identified him as non-human or at least hybrid to anyone who paid enough attention... and to everyone´s shock, was spending his time hiding inside a carton-box. That was because he seemed to be afraid of practically everything from the outside world... **including** them.

Even the usually sarcastic Raynare was too stunned by the appearance of the `boy´ to even say anything.

Issei, Irina, Xenovia and especially Asia finally agreed to help Gaspar to come out of his shell, in the truest sense of the word... and spend the next weeks talking to him, training with him and doing generally everything to get him used to having other people around. Even Raynare, Ravel and finally Gaeriel joined in on their efforts. Even if their successes were mixed.

Xenovia´s `help´ for example consisted in the beginning of chasing him around on the school-grounds with a drawn sword... and event that Rias later erased from the minds of several students who had seen it.

His powers on the other hand, when he actually used them, turned out to be exactly what they were promised. Gaspar was able to stop time on the entire area around the school.

As it turned out however, carrying the Sword of Cronus made Issei not only completely immune to his power - even without using his ki-manipulation - it also allowed him to counter it to a large degree. So training with Gaspar in the end even gave Issei a better control of his new weapon.

 **xxxxxxx**

Two months had now passed since the fight against Kokabiel.

Most of them had in this time continued to train. Raynare and Asia for example had realized that the Phoenix flame that was combined with their Twilight Healing had also increased their own energy and magical potential. Beside that it also allowed them to regrow their own strength during a fight and gave both of them theoretically and endless stamina. at least purely physical.

Of course in Asia´s case, while she had `somewhat´ been trained in combat, she was still mostly concentrating on her abilities as a healer. While for Raynare it was the other way around. It was now about two weeks ago that she had gained her third set of wings.

Irina and Xenovia had, aside from training their fighting abilities even further, learned to better communicate with the soul-shards of Merlin that had been imbedded inside their weapons and use their magical knowledge for themselves.

Gaeriel and Kalawarner on the other side had not been in their best state after Kokabiel battle. Both had retreated somewhat into themselves, while Gaeriel of course still acted as their connection to the rest of the Guardians.

Kalawarner had taken the loss of Dohnaseek quite hard. Probably harder than most of the others would have expected. The two had known each other for a long time... a very long one by human standards. And while they had only been lovers from time to time, they had been quite close in their own way.

With Gaeriel it was a bit different. She had known that the man she had loved was gone and replaced by a monster for a long time. For years she had hoped that it might be possible to bring him back to his senses. That hope had been quickly shattered as she had heard about what he was planning, the many people he had killed and his justifications. But that didn´t mean that it was easy for her.

Odin was staying in contact with them, but he was spending most of his time in Asgard, with the counterparts of his friends and family.

 **xxx**

During that time a line of things had changed in the supernatural world.

The first and probably most important one was a meeting between the leaders of the three Factions that Azazel had called, where he had officially offered a peace treaty between them. As the Sekiryuutei, Issei was also taking part in it, just like his rival Vali.

This meeting however was being attacked by a group of Khaos Brigade that belonged to the Old Maou Faction, under the leadership of a woman named Katerea Leviathan... a descendant of the original Leviathan of course.

Their plan to capture Gaspar and use his powers to their own advantage however was foiled and they were beaten back quite quickly. Katerea herself was killed during the fight by Azazel and Khaos Brigade retreated... for the moment.

Another shock came as Vali Lucifer revealed himself to be a traitor and a member of Khaos Brigade and joined the retreating terrorists. Only for Azazel to take this back just a few minutes after they were gone and reveal smugly that he was actually a double agent working for him the entire time.

It was one of the few times where Issei truly wanted to punch the man in the face.

 **xxx**

Another, on the first look more harmless incident happened another week after the peace-meeting...

... when Issei woke up some day, the naked bodies of Raynare and Asia lying next to him and he saw a stranger standing in front of his bed. This stranger, he realized, was a very young girl? dressed in a gothic lolita outfit. She had dark hair and completely expressionless eyes.

"Wha...?" Issei called out.

"Issei Hyoudou," the girl said, "I was interested to meet you."

He realized that the stranger was hiding her own presence. This was clearly not a normal girl by any means.

In this moment Raynare and Asia were waking up as well and saw the `invader´ in Issei´s bedroom.

"Who the fuck are you?" Raynare exclaimed.

"I am sorry Fallen Angel, I am not here to disturb you," she said without any emotion. "I have not introduced myself. I am Ophis, the Infinity Dragon."

"What?" Raynare whispered. She realized how she had just been talking to one of the most powerful entities in this universe. At least Ophis didn´t seem to take offense on her tone. Beings this powerful usually are not staggered by mere words. But there were always exceptions as she had learned. `Note to self,´ she thought. `Learn to keep your temper in check. At least until you have learned to become all powerful yourself.´

Ophis was now just been starring at Issei for a few moments, equally emotionless looking as before.

"I have measured your power and your magical potential Issei Hyoudou," she informed him. "But as it seems you are not even close to having reached your full power. I will come back to you when you have become stronger," she stated.

The next moment she was gone, having simply disappeared as simply as she had come.

"Ophis," Issei said quietly.

"As it seems you are drawing the attention of the most interesting people Issei-kun," Raynare commented, still shaken up from the bizarre meeting.

 **xxx**

Then there had also been one other, far more personal chance for Issei, something that both Odin and Azazel had confirmed about six weeks ago. He had turned immortal. While he was still vulnerable to injuries, even with extremely good healing, he would never truly age anymore. It had been a side-effect of his own modifications on his body while he was under the influence of the Juggernaut Drive.

The Guardians had offered him a choice to live forever or not. Now he had unconsciously made that choice. But if it came to side effects, Issei could have truly imagined worse things than this.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _60 days after the Kokabiel-battle_

It was what Issei and the others had at first thought would be a completely normal day.

Instead they found both Gaeriel and Odin standing in front of the Hyoudou residence this morning.

"Issei. Good morning," she greeted him. "There is something we need to talk about. I have just been informed by the boss." He knew that was the way she often referred to Darien. "We have been given a new mission."

"What kind of mission?" Issei asked in the moment they were alone in his room.

"The kind of mission that will need us to leave our universe for a while and travel to one of the neighboring ones. We have, as it looks, found several breaches in the borders between the dimensions around the reality we have dubbed Universe 1125-12. So that means the twelved close variant of this world that we have discovered."

"That means there will be more doubles of us?" Irina, who had spent the night in Issei´s house, along with Raynare, asked.

"Yes. Of course that doesn´t mean that we will necessarily meet them," Gaeriel replied. "But by what I have seen from the information from our scouts, it might be actually interesting. The Issei of that universe seemed to be quite different from you," she stated.

"Breaches in the barriers between the realities means what exactly?" Irina asked.

"It means that someone is walking around in this world who doesn´t belong there. And it seems to be more than one person," Gaeriel answered. "But it doesn´t mean that whoever it is has to be dangerous or even necessarily an enemy. Maybe someone had been displaced by an accident or something like that. We will have to find out. But don´t misunderstand. It also **could** be an enemy."

"I cannot come with you," Odin offered. "You know my reasons." Indeed, they knew. It was some kind of unofficial agreement that came to be between the two sides of the Interdimensional War. As long as the stronger representatives of one of them won´t enter a particular reality, the others will do the same thing.

The only reason Odin´s presence here was being tolerated was that he had officially left the Guardians and intended to stay in this reality for good. He was no longer an official fighter in this war. But if he would come with them to this world, it would be an invitation to the other side to send a warrior with equal or even greater power... and it might in the end lead to an apocalyptic battle.

"Let us tell the others and prepare everything," Gaeriel told him. "We will meet at the mansion in two hours."

 **xxxxxxx**

Like she had said, barely 115 Minutes later they all were assembled in front of the restored old building.

Issei had already called Sona and told her that they would be gone for at least a few days. She would take care of things in school for them.

They had agreed that Issei, Gaeriel, Irina, Raynare and Kalawarner would be the ones to go on this mission, while Xenovia and Murayama would stay behind to keep an eye on things here.

Even if Murayama admitted she was actually looking out for the chance to visit another parallel world and she was kind of disappointed. But the others promised her that she would come along for their next expedition.

Gaeriel activated the device that she was carrying on her arm, that allowed them access to the portal-system of the Guardians. Moments later the portal formed itself in the air before them... and after passing through, they found themselves somewhere else...

 **xxx**

... they were somewhere else and yet still in Kuoh.

"Ahm, we are still in the same place as before, aren´t we?" Asia questioned.

"Look around," Kalawarner stated.

The mansion, the same house they had been living in for the last months... was now suddenly a complete ruin. It was clear on the first look that this version of the building had never been renovated. Instead it had fallen in even greater disrepair.

This was their home-town... and yet not.

So they were walking through the other version of Kuoh. Raynare and Gaeriel were using their mental powers to make sure that nobody would recognize them. Just in case some of their doubles were known here for one reason or the other. As long as they were human, everybody would just see a faceless group of random people... and their abilities were now strong enough to even deceive most regular Devils if they didn´t pay too much attention.

"The source of one of the breaches is not far away," Gaeriel told them, as she checked some of the displays on the device she was carrying on her arm. "The others also seem to be located in the region of Japan. The most prominent is close to the area of Kyoto."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Back in their own universe_

It was two days after Issei and his team had left.

This seemed to be going to be another `usual´ morning in Kuoh. At least at the first look.

It was about 11 in the morning, as every supernatural being or supernatural skilled human in the town was sensing the powerful energies that were suddenly raising up. It seemed to be not only one but several presences that had appeared right at the city border. Most of these presences however, while somewhat different, felt incredibly familiar to them.

Both the Gremory and the Sitri peerage, just as Xenovia and Murayama who were with them at school, wasted no time and teleported right to the place where the `foreign´ energies came from.

They arrived a short distance from the location of their targets and simply walked the rest of the way.

What they found surprised them to the point that none of them knew how to say something.

In front of them was a large group of people, all of them sitting or even lying between a group of trees. They all looked somewhat exhausted. But it was **who** these people were what shocked them.

It was Issei, Asia and Irina... and Raynare as they now saw. The Fallen Angel had just been flying around around the place and was now landing right next to Issei.

"We are exactly where we are supposed to be," she said, "at the outskirts of the town... and we have visitors Issei-darling," she announced.

"I see," he replied, turning to look at Rias and the others who just arrived.

There were also two other Fallen Angels present under the arrivals Rias had never seen before. And close to them was standing... a young human girl? but also in her they could sense a strange supernatural power as well.

But it wasn´t this part of the group of newcomers that **truly** unsettled her.

She was looking at one of the `strangers´... and saw into her own face. One of the arrivals was Rias Gremory, looking just like herself, down to the school-uniform she was wearing... and her entire peerage, another Akeno, Kiba, Koneko, even Gaspar was there. There was also a second Xenovia, just like the girl standing a few meters from her.

And not only them, there was also a double of Sona and several members of her peerage, looking exactly like her friend who was standing right next to Rias.

Another member of that group who shocked and intimidated especially Koneko was nobody else than her older sister Kuroka, standing between their doubles as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

All of the new arrivals were now looking in their direction at `Raynare s´ declaration.

Rias and the others were sure about one thing however, even without the presence of their own doubles here, this Issei, Asia, Irina and Raynare were not the same as the ones who had left their world just two days earlier.

`Issei´ had some of the presence of a Devil, it seemed for some reason however mixed with some other energies. Unlike the `Devil-version´ of Issei they had already met however, he had not just a mix of Ddraig´s power and the Evil Pieces. There was also some other source involved. This `Irina´ here was an Angel. Even without the bright energy she was radiating this would be clear to everyone since she had her wings out. And the second Xenovia was in fact a Devil as well.

"Who are you?" Rias asked them angrily.

"I think who we are would be kind of obvious," `Rias´ replied.

"I know that," Rias yelled. "We have seen interdimensional doubles before. Believe me, you are nothing really new to us. But that doesn´t necessarily mean that we can trust you."

She couldn´t help it, but something at this situation just riled her up. She felt pretty much out of control of the situation. And having another version of herself looking at her so confidently certainly didn´t help.

"Stand down, all of you," she addressed `herself´ and the other doubles. "We will detain you for the moment. Until we decide what to do with you. Do you agree Sona?" she asked the Sitri heiress.

But the other Rias only rolled with her eyes.

"It truly seems I am an arrogant bitch no matter what universe," she stated smiling. "Detain us? You will find out that this is harder than you might think."

As she said this, the group around her began to power up... and shocked everyone even more than before.

Issei´s counterpart, his power rivalled that of a Maou. His energy was a nearly bizarre mix out of Dragon´s and Devil power.

The other Raynare, she materialized **four** more sets of wings. She had ten - she was a Kadre level Fallen Angel, they realized in horror, remembering the last time they faced one of them two months earlier. They could only hope that this version of her wasn´t hostile.

Akeno´s counterpart transformed into a form that as well closely ressembled a Fallen. To their shock they saw that she possessed eight wings... and she was `playing´ with a surge lightning right in her hand, those strength was just frightening.

And Rias own double? They realized that she had the power of a Ultimate Class Devil, at least.

Kuroka´s strength was already known to all of them... and if at all had even grown for this version here.

Some of the others showed a terrifying power as well. They realized that this - their other selves - were a force that could take on an entire army of Devils or Angels and win.

"We are not your enemies," `Issei´ addressed them. "We won´t hurt you."

"But you shouldn´t believe that you control us," `Rias´ added.

"We will come with you... and we will explain to you why we are here. But only because we want to," Issei told them.

 **xxx**

They all would have been even more terrified if they had seen the small figure who had come with them, but had separated itself from them just after they had arrived.

It was the same `little gothic lolita´ who Issei had found inside his bedroom just a few weeks earlier... the Infinity Dragon, Ophis.

* * *

 **Author note: The group that appeared in the end of the chapter are the characters from the story `** ** **Gods of Darkness** ´, who had been transfered into the world of this story. They come however from a point somewhere in the future of their own world.**

 **Spoilers for the other story are mostly:** ** **Gods of Darkness Issei has his Great Red created body + some other changes. That is the reason they can not clearly identify him as a Devil.****

 **Raynare regains her physical form at one point... and that without sacrificing Rias... reaches kadre level, mostly by having absorbed power from Issei and Ddraig for months and training with Faust... and some other factors that had not been brought up in the story yet.**

 **Akeno´s `Fallen Angel form´ had six wings in canon. This version had gained one set more.**


	18. Chapter 18: New Worlds

**Chapter 18**

 _Kuoh (in an alternate universe)_

The small group of people consisting of Issei Hyoudou, Asia Argento, Irina Shidou and the Fallen Angels Raynare, Kalawarner and Gaeriel was still walking through the streets town... while at the same time using their mental powers to keep themselves from being recognized from anyone who might notice them and know their identities.

Of course none of them were really the same people who had been born in this world. They came from a different reality, another universe... and they were here for a special reason.

Being a small - and new - part of the group of interdimensional protectors, commonly known as the Guardians, they came here to deal with a number of unknown breaches into this universe.

They were already coming close to the first of these breaches they had detected. The first one that, as they had found out, was right here in Kuoh.

Instead of thé data of the small, Sci-Fi-like, devices that Gaeriel was carrying around with her, they were however simply following the directions Ddraig gave to them.

 **[This way,]** the Dragon said to Issei and the others.

"How far is it Ddraig?" Irina asked him.

 **[I swear, I will go and teach you all how to sense time-space anomalies by yourself...]** he replied annoyed. **[... and if it is only to get you from asking me that the entire time. Or rather Issei will, after I have shown him,]** he added. **[These Guardians actually should have taught you that themselves. Then you wouldn´t have to rely on these silly devices you are carrying around, Fallen Angel.]**

"They would have, if there had been more time," Gaeriel explained. "But so they had to mostly concentrate on basic ki manipulation, combat and some telepathic powers."

"Says the girl who made sure that we had to quit the training two days early," Raynare commented drily.

"But her decision in the end saved Kuoh," Asia pointed out.

"No, it didn´t. Our meddling was actually the reason Kokabiel started his attack **earlier** ," Raynare replied. "Issei-kun went into Juggernaut Drive and nearly destroyed Kuoh himself and could have **killed** us all, because we run into battle before the Guardian had neutralized it. And all that because of Miss `I will settle things with my ex-lover´ here," she remarked. "Not that I am necessarily the one to talk here, given how things could have ended up between us, right Issei-kun?" She turned to him. They both had heard what happened in some of the other universes.

For a moment Kalawarner was looking at them with a grim expression. They all knew that Dohnaseek had died in that battle.

"I know I messed up back then. You know I am sorry," Gaeriel reminded them.

"Don´t worry, like we said, we forgive you," Kalawarner said grimly. "The Lord knows we have all done our part of crap." Yes, she must have truly gone soft, she thought. "But that won´t keep us from bringing it up again, whenever we think you need a reminder," she added a bit sharply.

 **[We have nearly arrived,]** Ddraig informed them.

"Hold up! Ddraig, are you really sure?" Issei questioned. "I mean..." He just realized that they were just arriving at the street and they were heading right in the direction where his house was.

 **[Yes I know; the breach is nearly directly at your home.]**

"What?" Issei called out.

"Don´t worry," Irina told him. "Everything around is still intact, right? So whatever the breach is, is obviously not that dangerous."

They could now already make out Issei´s home, in a few hundred meters' distance.

"Not that dangerous, you say?" they suddenly heard another voice speaking up. "Now, saying it like this is nearly an insult, don´t you think?" the voice said sarcastically. "I am actually quite dangerous."

As they all turned round they saw its source. What they saw was an old man. He had short grey hair and a beard and was wearing a Victorian looking black coat.

"Oh no," Gaeriel said as she recognized him, rolling her eyes. "Not him," she murmured.

"Now, if this isn´t a completely new generation of the brave defenders of the multiverse?" the man announced in a quite sarcastic tone, "discussing what went wrong on their last missions."

"It seems we have found the source of the first dimensional breach," Gaeriel told them.

"You mean it is him?" Irina questioned. "He is the source of the first breach?"

"Yes," she replied. "Like us, he is a being who can move between the universes."

"Another one," Kalawarner commented.

"In a sense I guess you could say that," the old man stated. "I am just on my own business in this world."

In this moment they could feel the stranger´s presence. That he had clearly been hiding from them until now. It was powerful, there was no doubt. Especially since they knew that barely anyone ever showed his full strength from the beginning. So it was hard to say just **how** powerful he truly was.

His aura, they realized, was also somewhat similar to Gaspar... or to the Guardian Vlad or Alucard, like he was also called. Was this guy another Vampire? they asked themselves.

 **[He is,]** Ddraig confirmed to Issei. **[He is however somehow different from the others we have seen,]** the Dragon stated.

`Just like Gaspar is very different from Vlad,´ Issei thought.

 **[Yes. It might simply be that this one is from yet another different world.]**

"Zelretch," Gaeriel greeted him visible unnerved.

"You know this guy?" Issei asked her surprised.

"Ahm, yes. He is... well, you could say something like a loose associate. Our organization came across him several times in the past. He and his allies have similar goals like us... well, most of the time anyway," Gaeriel explained with some scorn.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Somewhere else in Japan_

Many miles away, the Issei Hyoudou of this world was currently on an a quite bit similar mission... together with his own team.

Like it was said before, this Issei was actually quite different from the ones they had already met before. He had neither been turned into a Devil or into a immortal interdimensional warrior.

And while this version of him was human, he was all but average.

The greatest difference however was possible that this Issei didn´t had the same perverted mindset that most of his counterparts possessed. This one was not focused on women´s breasts since his childhood and he didn´t dream about having a harem.

No, his dream had been something else. Something quite different.

He had always wanted to be a hero. It was something he had been dreaming about since he was a child.

In fact, he and his version of Irina had often been playing this together. That was of course before she - just like the Irina of the other world - had moved to England and they had not seen each other for several years.

The two old friends had been reunited just a few months back. As they had found out however, their lives had taken a similar path... in a quite tragic way.

Today Issei Hyoudou was a Holy Sword wielder and at least for the moment, working for the Church. Just like his old friend Irina, who he had recently been reunited with.

Their small group, consisting of them, and their partners Xenovia Quarta and the counterpart of Yuuto Kiba of this world, was currently here on a mission... another one.

Originally Irina, Xenovia and their comrade came to this country to deal with the Fallen Angel leader Kokabiel´s plot to steal a couple of Holy Swords and restart the great war, a few weeks ago. It was at this time Irina had met once again with Issei, the Sekiryuutei and he had joined their group.

Shortly after they managed to stop Kokabiel in a short alliance with the Devils of Kuoh, they stayed a bit longer to watch over the peace-meeting of the three Factions. Afterwards they stayed in the area for a bit longer.

It was then two days ago that they had been informed about a line of strange sightings and people who had gone missing in this area. And since they were already here, the Church had told them to investigate in this case as well.

The story had started with a star that had suddenly appeared on the sky the night four days ago.

 **xxxxxxx**

It was little more than a half week ago a strange new object had appeared in the sky over this region for a short time.

For everyone who had seen it from the ground, it had seemed to be a shooting star, a meteor or small comet, as it had been burning up in the atmosphere, falling down to Earth.

It was something that had come from outside of this world - from space... and in fact from even beyond that.

Exactly the same object was now on the ground, lying in the center of a crater, where it had landed - somewhere in a mostly unpopulated forests, somewhere in the area between Kuoh and Kyoto.

What had fallen from space and landed here was a large metallic construction, streamlined formed and in a dark grey, nearly black color, able to move through the air.

The object was in fact, nothing else than a vehicle to travel the stars... a space ship. Or better said it was a vessel that was able to move both, between the stars and even between the dimensions.

 **xxxxxxx**

Not far away from that place... a gruesome scene was taking place.

On the ground, somewhere in the middle of the forest, miles away from the next town... we're laying the bodies of an entire family... a man, a woman, a little boy and a girl. It was just a family that came here for a camping trip, not knowing that they would be travelling to their doom.

Around them were standing three figures, wearing futuristic clothes and armor and carrying equally futuristic looking guns, their faces being hidden behind helmets and masks.

One of the `bodies´ however, the woman, was still moving. In panic she was trying to crawl away from the beings who had just mercilessly slaughtered her family.

"You know the orders," one of the figures said to another, shorter one, who was standing next to the fleeing wounded woman. "They have come too close. All of them are to be eliminated."

"I understand," the other one replied, aimed it´s weapon at the neck of it´s target... and fired. The being looked down at the not motionless corpse.

A few moments later the `being´ took off it´s helmet. Beneath... was a human face. It was the face of a dark haired young girl... not more than a teenager.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Kuoh... with Issei´s Guardian group  
_

Their group was still standing in opposite to the mysterious old man.

"This means he is an ally, right?" Issei asked her.

"No. At least not directly," Gaeriel explained. "Like I said, a loose associate. We might have mostly similar goals. But our organizations don´t really have anything to do with each other. And we cooperate only seldom."

"Why is that?" Irina asked.

"There is a line of reasons," she replied. "You should realize that there is much more out there than just us and the Dark Order. We both have our own problems and our own ways to do things."

"Yes, that is one way to put it, isn´t it?" the old man stated. "Your organization is always so serious about the way you work." He smiled at her.

"If you mean we don´t make things unnecessarily complicated for our own amusement, then yes," she responded.

"Tell me, what was your name again Fallen Angel? Gaeriel was it, right? Ah yes, I remember you. How long was it? 70 or was it 80 years that I met you and your group. Back then you had still been a wet behind the ears recruit in your team." He grinned even more. "And now look at you, standing here with your own group of rookies... and discussing how you messed up. How time is passing, and how little things change, right my dear?"

The frown Gaeriel already had on her face only deepened even more.

"That is another one of the reasons we aren't cooperating often, Zelretch is a chaot and an unpredictable troll, who is just as likely to play around with his allies as help them," she commented.

"Sounds very promising," Raynare remarked sarcastically.

The old man only chuckled.

"How true, how true." He started to laugh. "Now, why don´t you introduce your new comrades and me to each other?" he asked.

Gaeriel suppressed the urge to role with her eyes again.

"As you wish," she stated. "Issei, Raynare, Irina, Asia and Kalawarner," she pointed from one of them to the other, "this is Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, immortal Magician, a leading member of the Mage´s Associations in his world and one of the Vampires known as the Dead Apostles," she introduced the stranger.

All of them tried - more or less successful - to suppress a grin, as they heard the name.

Except for Irina, who broke out into laughter.

"Kischr Zelretch Schweinorg," she pressed out giggling. "Very funny Gaeriel. Now, what is this guy´s real name?"

Suddenly they saw that Zelretch was no longer standing in front of them... but right behind Irina and Asia who was standing next to her. Both of them gasped. They hadn´t even seen him move.

"Do you have a problem with my name little girl?" he asked Irina, now sounding actually menacingly.

This guy truly **was** dangerous. Despite the careless attitude he had shown so far.

"N-no," she stammered a bit shocked.

"Good."

"What are you doing here Zelretch?" Gaeriel asked him.

He shrugged with the shoulders.

"What shall I say? I have my eyes on someone in this world who seems quite interesting to me. A possible client. I have of course also noticed the, as you would call it, breaches between the worlds. But it seems, as I found out, that my possible candidate is already trying to take care of things."

"What kind of a `candidate´ is that?" Issei wanted to know.

"Well, it is kind of interesting that you ask that my friend? It is a human who had caught my attention some time ago. The version of him in this world is a Holy Sword wielder." Zelretch smiled. "His name is Issei Hyoudou. Just like yours, right?"

In some distance from them, Issei could see his home, or at least the exact copy of it that existed in this universe. In this moment he saw someone leaving the house. It was his own mother, looking exactly like he knew her from his world. And she was walking in their direction.

He was glad right now that she wouldn´t recognize them, thanks to Raynare´s and Gaeriel´s power. If she **had** , he wouldn´t know what to even say to her.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The region around Kyoto_

Deep inside the vessel that had arrived on this world four days ago, the commander of the ship was sitting in the command-center and looking through their discoveries of the last days. They had been sending out scouts and probes, ever since they had... not quite willingly... arrived here... and they had `cleared up´ the surrounding area from any `interlopers´. With other words, they were killing everyone who just happen to be there to make sure their presence stayed undiscovered. At least for now.

Still, they weren´t able to stop some of the rumors their crash landing had caused and the disappearance of these people was alone cause for some more. And the reason Issei Hyoudou and his team of Exorcists were send to this region in the first place.

But the inhabitants of the ship weren´t aliens. Not in the actual sense at least. Genetically they were human - or as close to it as possible. They - their entire civilization - had been genetically modified even before conception... improved, `perfected´ from `birth´ on. They had been given access to powers that normally only one out of thousands `normal´ humans possessed.

They were beings from another dimension. Not any one, but the same world the Guardians originated from.

The commander was just overseeing the reports on the world they had landed in. Like the rest of his crew, he was gifted with both superhuman and supernatural powers that were interwoven with their DNA. All in the name of the Lords and the Great Master himself.

They were the next step of human evolution. They were all **created** , bred, raised and trained to serve as warriors for the great cause of the Dark Order.

He was not exactly happy about what he read. By what they found out, in this world the human race was still in their early 21st century. But that was not what bothered him.

Besides humanity, they found that there were also several races of supernatural entities who were occupying this planet... who were oppressing, manipulating and abusing their non-augmented brethren for their own gain. The most notorious of them were the so called Devils, a race of demon breed, who was actually enslaving them and turning some of them into their own kind. But also the Fallen Angels and even this worlds version of the Church.

It was a state that every fiber of his being found intolerable - it was an insult. He **knew** what his race, even the not enhanced version, was capable of... and it was more than this.

They found this part of the information from one of these Supernaturals, they had captured and interrogated. In the end he took great pleasure from ending the creature´s life himself.

They were not supposed to be here, he knew. It was just an accident during the last battle that had send them into this dimension. But now, that they were here, he would not let this situation continue. No matter how brutal the methods were he had to use.

 **xxxxxxx**

Somewhere else, another - much smaller - object was lying, that had also crashed on the surface of this planet.

The pilot was not sitting far away, next to a self-made campfire.

This pilot was a member of the Green Lantern Corps, who had crash landed here, just like the other group - after the last battle.

They had been on a mission to find out about the location of a very dangerous creature that they had been warned about. But as it turned out they were not the only ones looking for this being. They were confronted with a ship of the S.H.A, that had the same objective.

The fight ended with them being transferred to this world.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Home dimension of the Guardians_

Darien admitted, as he had received the message from Odin and the Devils Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri a short time ago, he wasn´t quite sure what to think.

A breach between the dimensions in their world... and not only a single person or a few, but a group of about two dozen had appeared. Most of them were alternates of the same persons they had been visiting them not long ago. Issei Hyoudou, Asia Argento, Raynare, another Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri and their entire peerages, some others...

A short time after their arrival, they had all been brought to the home dimension of the Guardians for the time being. And the story they were telling them at this moment did nothing to ease the tension of everyone present at all.

Of course he could have easily read the minds of most - and more likely **all** \- of them to find out all the information. But that was something he would only do if he actually **had** to. Reading superficial feelings and thoughts was one thing. But intentionally reaching into other´s minds with to purpose to get information? That was something he would only do when it was necessary...

Not only would it be considered incredible impolite by the definition of practically **every** civilized world known, it could also easily be the first of possible many steps, to corrupt yourself. And here it was clearly not necessary anyway.

They were already telling them the entire story anyway.

 **xxxxxxx**

The being who was in these days calling himself Darien had been many things in his long existence. A long time ago, when he was still a mortal living in the former Roman colony of Britannia, he had been a Knight of the Round Table.

He had watched how his father had been exiled... simply because he had loved the `wrong´ woman... and had even been willing to leave him and his mother behind for it. It was something his younger mortal self, like most `normal´ people, should normally have deeply resented him for.

But he also understood, even back then, that his father no longer had a real choice after being found out. Besides that, he also knew all too well, even at his young age, that his father´s marriage to his own mother, just like so many others, had been not exactly voluntary from both sides, but more the result of social pressures and political intrigues.

The saddest part of it all was, normally this would have been nothing special. Nobody outside of their own family would have even cared. Men were leaving their women and even their children behind all the time in that age. Only in their case the new woman just happened to be the wife of the king. So it had become a legendary `fabled romantic tale´, told over countless centuries, instead of a matter nobody would have cared about a couple of weeks later.

He had seen how political and religious leaders had been preaching either total devotion or free will... and then went manipulating everyone and everything and used every underhanded method to reach their personal goals - no matter if these methods went against everything they were preaching in public. He had seen how the people on top of **every** possible society - human, alien or otherwise - had always expected complete loyalty from the people beneath them. But were in turn often willing to sell out everyone else in the blink of an eye.

He had watched people of thousands of different societies, claiming to be civilized, and then ruthlessly slaughtering people outside of their own civilization, calling their **victims** barbarians. While at the same time acting like the worst kind of savages themselves.

Yes, `civilized´ hypocrisy and double standards were something he knew all too well.

All too often he could truly understand how some of the Lords became what they were today. There had to be a point where you just have `enough of all that crap´ and you only wanted to see the world to change... even if that meant seeing it burn.

 **xxx**

He had watched how his old comrade Mordred, who had been **born** and **raised** simply as a means for others in a quest for the throne, had gone mad with hatred and revenge on everyone around him and pledged himself to the Darkness. All the way until he became the Lord who was today calling himself Faust.

He had been fighting with Mordred over the Holy Grail, in the end both of them absorbing it´s power... and both of them forever loosing their mortality.

He had known many friends, comrades and associates. There had also been some women in his life during the centuries. A few when he had still been mortal, many others later. Some have grown close to him, others did not. In most cases because there had never been the chance.

The most of them were long gone either way, dying a long time ago. At best he could conjure their spirits to talk to these people from time to time. Some however, had become immortal like himself and in some cases, were still around.

He had over the course of centuries seen some originally mortal beings evolving and so growing into Immortals, Cosmic Entities and Gods. He himself and a few others being the best example.

But he knew perfectly well that even beings like him could be surprised or taken off guard if the circumstances were right. Like **today**.

It was something that he considered normally kind of refreshing... and in a strange way, consoling. It reminded him that he wasn´t all powerful - not completely at least - and that at his core, he was still the same person who had been born all these centuries ago.

You could say it made him feel **human**.

Like most powerful entities, he knew the risk of loosing himself all too well. He himself had watched more than one being fall to that fate. For the most part, he was always trying to keep his powers in check, to keep them on a more than reasonable level.

That allowed him for the most time to lead what most people would consider a more or less normal existence, instead of a being that transits time and space.

Being a god? that was something he had never wanted. He was born a human being... and from his convictions he was a monotheist - a sort of Christian, more or less. Even when he simply had experienced too much to be stuck in the mindset of a single religion.

He knew perfectly well of course that there were many other gods and similar beings in the multiverse. He himself could easily considered as one of them. But the only entity who he, in his personal view, truly saw as actually **being** God, was The One who existed in all realities, even if he had countless manifestations.

 **xxxxxxx**

Rias Gremory and her brother, the Maou Sirzechs Lucifer, had travelled to the world of the Guardians for the second time. The first had been during the two week training trip her peerage and Issei´s team had made two months ago.

Now they were both here again - together with the leaders of the other Factions, Azazel and Michael - who had, as they heard that an entire group of doubles of some known Devils and Fallen Angels had suddenly appeared, had of course come as well. Both had arrived, together with a small contingent of six and eight-winged Angels and Fallen as guards.

Sona Sitri and her Queen Tsubaki also came with them this time. They all had taken in the surroundings of the strange futuristic version of Earth with fascination.

Now they all were sitting together inside what seemed to be a very large conference room, somewhere inside the large building complex where they had been living in during the training. Next to them were standing some leading members of the Guardians... and in front of them all, the assembled group of their `guests´.

Now they were all sitting together and listening to their story... and it was worse than the Guardians first thought.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _A short time ago_

The first meeting between the Faction leaders and these new arrivals however had gone a bit unexpected... and a bit awkward.

The second Rias Gremory had, in the moment she saw her `brother´, thrown her arms around him and literally jumped into his arms.

"Oni-san," she had called out, "I am so happy to see you again," she said with tears flowing from her eyes.

The reaction of Issei and the rest of her peerage and also of Sona´s of seeing him, were a bit more reserved, but also quite happy.

"I guess something has happened to me where you come from?" Sirzechs asked.

"You are gone," `Sona´ stated. "You, Serafall, Azazel, Michael, nearly all the leaders of the three Factions, all of you... and millions of others."

This caused a look of horror by everyone present.

"I am also glad to see you again Azazel-sama," `Raynare´ greeted him. "Even if you are not really exactly the same." To everyone´s surprise, she wrapped her arms around him as well and draw Azazel into a hug, before releasing him and giving him one, a bit sly, smile.

Darien was sure, this Raynare and the Issei of their group were the same he had been watching in a life and death fight as he had been observing multiple alternate realities two months ago... who had `survived´ her own death by bounding part of her soul and spirit to Issei Hyoudou.

Besides that, this particular Raynare here was also the one he had seen on the Astral Plane together with Faust only a short time later.

Now she was sitting in front of him in flesh and blood again... and easily hundred times stronger than before. Even without telepathic powers it wouldn´t be hard to figure out what had happened. He could feel the energy of the enemy in her. It was clear who had been responsible for her resurrection.

But she was not the only one. Sitting right next to `Raynare´, right between her and Issei Hyoudou, was a young human girl who had the presence of the same energy inside her. There was also a clear connection between her and the Fallen Angel.

But that didn´t mean that either of them was on the side of the Dark Order, as he knew.

 **xxx**

Like Darien found out a short time later, Raynare´s attempt to bound her soul to Issei had not been a unique event in the multiverse.

In fact, she was only one of many versions of herself he had seen across the realities, who had tried this - in the same or similar situations... and in some cases succeeded.

He had in fact actually a short interaction with another disembodied spirit version of here not so long ago during his scouting of realities. That version was - well, lets say **less** open minded than this one here. Still, for a line of reasons he felt the need to intervene with the events of that world back then.

But that matter was an issue for another time.

 **xxx**

"So it is you," `Raynare´ turned to the Guardian leader. "I see this is what you look like in person. Darien, that was the name Faust called you, right?"

"Yes, I remember our `meeting´," he replied. "As I see you have refused Faust´s offer. Even with the way you have regained your physical body," he stated.

"You met this guy before?" their Issei asked her surprised.

"You remember how I first found out that Faust and these other Dark Order Lords are at war with another group of Super Beings when I was still a bodiless spirit?" she questioned. "It was him I met on this day. Of course back the I have only seen him as a faceless phantom. I have to say he is quite cute in person, don´t you agree? Not as cute as you or Lord Azazel of course."

`Issei´ only grinned at her antics.

Much to his surprise, he had also seen another face here, one that he had not expected, at least not at this place and especially with this people.

"Murayama?" he said.

"Ahm, Hey Issei... well, nice to see you. Or to meet you for the first time... This is kind of confusing, isn´t it?" she greeted him.

`Issei´ noticed that something was quite definitely off with her aura.

"It is nice to see you as well," he stated. "It is just. What has happened to you? And why are you even here?"

"Now, to put it short, I was dying. But you saved me. Well, your other self did... and this here is the result," she answered. "If you want I will explain it all to you. But first you should tell us all about your own story. That is the reason we are here afterall."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Now_

They all had been listening to the story.

Not only had the Lords been targeting the universe the new arrivals came from, as they had feared. As they heard now, Ahriman - the Darkness, the Force that the Lords were following, had manifested himself in the future of that particular timeline.

A war had happened that cost millions of lives. And that was not even everything.

Ultimately, Ahriman´s presence had retreated from their universe... but that was not the end.

"So you see the Supernatural World in our reality is lying in shambles," `Sona´, the one who had arrived with their visitor, explained to them. "We - we hope that we will be allowed to stay in your world."

The had listened to the entire story. It was quite simple and quite complicated at the same time. They were refugees. The three Factions of their reality had been decimated to the point that they were for the most part only a handful of survivors, even more than they had originally been.

They - or at least the Devils and Fallen Angels - wanted to settle themselves in their world.

"We both would win from this," `Sona´ stated. "We would gain a new home and you would gain more members to raise the number of our races. Even if we are practically copies of people who already exist."

"Wait Sona. You are telling us that the reason you have to leave your world, in the end... are actually the humans?" Rias asked incredulous.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Issei´s home-dimension_

It was a remote place on a small planetoid, some distance away from Earth. For the moment it was a temporally retreat for a very powerful being.

It wasn´t the Dimensional Gap where she had originally lived, far from it. But for the moment it would do.

Ophis sensed that someone had right now appeared at her temporally homestead. And she was quite surprised, something that didn´t happen often to a being like her, when she was suddenly standing face to face with... herself.

In opposite to regular creatures, Ophis was actually - in some sense - the same being in all the different universes. She had however the habit to manifest herself in physical form in many different realities at the same time. The many `Ophis´, that existed in the alternate versions of their reality, were so in fact all parts of a greater whole.

No the two `versions´ of Ophis were standing in front of and looking at each other with the same emotionless expression.

"Why are you here?" the native manifestion asked her double.

"It became necessary," the other Ophis replied. "The chance to defeat Great Red no longer exist in the foreseeable future. You will know everything when we have merged,"

"I see," Ophis stated.

Without any further words the two manifestations of the entity moved closer together and finally fused into one body.

As this happened, the already vaste immortal mind of the present incarnation of Ophis... was being flooded with the memories of her slightly `older´ incarnation of herself. Ophis remembered how the events that happened in the other timeline and the war that did was going to take place in it.

Most of what she saw, given by itself... the deaths, the destruction and chaos on the mortal plane... all of it, would be nothing for her to even feel concerned about.

It would not even have been enough to actually distract her, even for a moment, from her own goal to remove Great Red from the Dimensional Gap. Not in the slightest. While she would have registered it of course. She would even have admitted, at some level, that the loss of so much life was a tragedy. Even if her practically emotionless mind could probably not truly grasp just how much of a tragedy it was.

But it wouldn´t have truly concerned her, not really. This were the matters of other beings, while she had her own. And Ophis was an ancient, immortal and practically almighty entity. The matters she cared about were her own goals and concerns.

Normally at least...

... but under all the memories she had just absorbed, there was one part that caught even her mind. One horrifying picture that caused even her to freeze.

What she saw was a short glimpse at the force that had truly been responsible for the events in the other timeline, the force that was standing behind the group of entities known as the Lords.

She saw a small glimpse of what was waiting for all of them beyond all known realities. And she felt something rising up inside of her, something what she had never known in her eons of existence. It was an emotion. It was fear.

* * *

 **Okay. The last update for this story was already a while ago.  
**

 **As some of you can probably guess, this story-arc was originally intended as a crossover with `Representation of Humanity´ by Writer with bad Grammar. But I didn´t get a reply my requests to use some of his content. Still I didn´t want to scrap my concept for this arc and so I used some alternate ideas. It had taken me however some time.**

 **This chapter consits mostly of introduction and build-up for the next arcs.**

 **The former meeting between the character Darien and the `Gods of Darkness´ version of Raynare had happened of course in chapter 5 of the same story.**

 **Side Note: Darien´s remark about `having interacted with another spirit version of Raynare´, refers to chapter 4 of Kyuubi Gohan´s story `Issei Leviathan´. The obscure character appearing there is indeed him.**


	19. Chapter 19: Rise of Humanity

**Chapter 19**

 _A few weeks ago_

 _"Surrender now Fallen Angel," the Exorcist declared. "Release this man from your clutches... and prepare to face your judgement."_

 _"A good joke Exorcist-bitch," the Fallen replied with a grin on her face. "You really think you can beat me?"_

 _Behind them, a young man was sitting on a bed and was watching their fight intensely._

 _None of the two fighters were using weapons. This, however, was not the truly remarkable thing... No, it was that both the Exorcist and the Fallen Angel were only wearing bras and panties for the `fight´ that Issei was watching right now._

 _"It will end just like the last time," The Fallen Angel stated smugly. "You will be lying beaten to my feet once again. And when I am finished with you, my beloved will have his way with you once again. That is the true reason you come always back, isn´t it?" she asked knowingly. "You just like the feeling of his dick inside you, don´t you? You are very naughty, for a servant of the Church."_

 _The chestnut haired Exorcist had a deep blush on her face. But then she retorted:_

 _"You are one to talk Fallen Angel. As if you have never lost before. And as I remember, whenever you loose, you seem all too happy everytime to receive your punishment that you got for `corrupting´ an innocent man."_

 _"Oh yes, he is soo very innocent," Raynare remarked mockingly with a grin on her face and a side-look at Issei. "He has sure shown us how innocent he is during the last nights, right? Well, it seems that we are both naughty girls then," she commented._

 _The Exorcist and the Fallen Angel, a.k.a Irina and Raynare, continued their mock battle, while Issei was watching them gleefully. He could barely wait to see the outcome for this time._

 _It was something that they were doing for a few weeks now. The winner was always decided by pure coincidence and whatever mood they were in. With other words, winner was whoever happened to be on top when they decided to quit it... and start with the next part of their game._

 _When the Fallen Angel, a.k.a Raynare, won, she was usually having their shared boyfriend - a.k.a the man she had `corrupted´ - having his way with the Exorcist girl and letting him fuck her hard in every way possible - something that the Exorcist however actually seemed to greatly enjoy every time -... and then she normally joined in._

 _Whenever `the Exorcist´, a.k.a Irina, came out on top, she spend some time `purifying´ the `unfortunate´ young man from the Fallen Angel´s `corruption´ with her own boy, in a very special act... and afterwards she and the man were together `punishing´ the Fallen for her `sins´. Quite `ironically´ however the Fallen Angel seemed to enjoy her punishments just as much every time._

 _In this moment the door was opened... and Asia entered the room._

 _What she saw as she stepped inside was the sight of her three friends._

 _Irina was kneeling, bend over the side of the bed, with Issei-kun standing directly behind her. He had his left arm wrapped around Irina´s upper body, fondling her breasts, while he was fucking her from behind. Raynare was right next to them. Issei´s other hand was between the Fallen Angel´s legs and his fingers, as it looked, moving inside her pussy._

 _As Asia came one step closer, she noticed that Issei´s penis was actually inside Irina´s butt. And going by her loud moans and the way her fingers kralled themselves into the bedsheets, the chestnut haired Exorcist seemed to really like it._

 _For a short moment a picture of herself doing these things with Issei flashed through Asia´s mind._

 _"Issei-kun," she said quietly._

 _As they turned around they in turn saw that the small blonde girl was completely naked._

 _"Asia?" he asked surprised._

 ** _xxx_**

 _On her way there, as she was passing the corridors of the old mansion - that was serving as their base and in some cases, their home - Asia had already heard loud noise coming from Xenovia´s room. She had a good idea what her blue haired Exorcist friend was doing and with who of course._

 _The same thing Issei-kun was doing with Raynare-sama and Irina nearly every night in the last weeks._

 _As she passed the room, she noticed that the door was actually standing a little open. What Asia saw, as she took a short look inside, was exactly she had what she had expected to see..._

 _On her bed, Xenovia was sitting naked right on top of her boyfriend Kiba - who had obviously come over for a visit this evening, like he often did in the last week - and she was riding him very hard and fast._

 _Asia could actually see her breasts bouncing up and down while she moved... and let out a mixture of shouts and moans._

 _"Oh yess Yuuto-kun," she called out. "Yeess."_

 _Asia closed the door. She believed the two hadn´t heard her... and even if they did, the two would probably not hold it against her. For all she knew they might actually **invite** her to watch them the next time. They all were more than willing to admit that Issei´s behavior - not to mention the Fallen Angel´s mindset - had started to rub off on the rest of their group._

 _What Asia didn´t knew, was that one of the reasons Xenovia had decided to invite her boyfriend over to have sex with him here in her room of their makeshift HQ... and intentionally leave the door open, was that she was always hearing the loud noise coming from Irina´s, Raynare´s or Issei´s rooms... and she didn´t want to be `left too far behind´ by her friends. Kiba, despite being - as Rias had once put it - a gentleman, was still a young boy and so gladly agreed to his girlfriend´s offer._

 _Another girl who was in a bit of a quandary, Asia knew, was Murayama. Like most of the female students of Kuoh Academy, she had a greater crush on Kiba. On the other side, she admitted, she had also come to like and even respect Issei, ever since he had saved her life and she had joined his team._

 _And there was of course Ravel Phenex, who was always trying to be close to him for the same reason._

 _Raynare had already - of course - told all three of the girls openly, that she didn´t had a problem with it, if they wanted to join Issei´s harem... and cheerfully welcomed them. Much to Murayama´s and Asia´s embarrassment._

 _Ravel, being a Devil, on the other seemed to be far more easily getting into the idea. But she told them that, as the fourth heir of the Phenex Clan, she couldn´t just give her virginity to Issei - even when she would have liked to... at least not without asking her parents what they thought about the idea of her joining Issei´s harem. But since he was both, the Sekiryuutei and on top of that the leader of the local Guardian group, that the Devil society already wanted to establish contacts with, she had no doubt that they would agree..._

 _... and then she would definitely join them, she had already declared._

 _Raynare... Murayama and even Asia, had only rolled their eyes at that statement. Typical Devils, they all thought._

 ** _xxx_**

 _The Irony was, that they were actually supposed to be a group of interdimensional defenders, but right now they were acting more like a bunch hormonal sex-crazed teenagers._

 _In all honesty however - by what they had heard - they were not really much worse than some other sub-groups of the Guardians. There were for example some of the former members of the team known as the X-men._

 _Their team leader Scott Summers had - as they were told - once been married with both, Jean Grey and her twin/clone Madelyne and left one for the other, before having an affair with yet another woman and leaving her as well. Yet all three women were part of his sub-group and there were rumors that, now in the present, he had sex with all three of them from time to time. Both `Jean Grey twins´ were in turn were also said to be two of the, obviously many, lovers of the man named Logan or Wolverine... and Madelyne was also said to having a relationship with at least one other team member._

 _And there was of course the former russian priest and Exorcist Gregori Rasputin, whose `reputation´ about women was legendary, even back when he was still mortal._

 _Another example would be the former Prince Lelouch a.k.a the former revolutionary Zero, who was also said to have relations with at least two, maybe even three of his teammates from his home universe._

 _There were also some other members who, according to what they heard, had entire harems or in some cases simply hundreds of lovers over the time. Even about Darien there were some of these stories._

 _Of course they had no way to know how much about all of this was actually true. But if even half of it was, they were at least not **that** much out of line compared to the other groups.  
_

 ** _xxx_**

 _All three of them, Raynare the Fallen Angel, Irina the Exorcist and Issei, were starring in surprise at the former Nun, who they just noticed had entered the room._

 _"I - I want to do it with you too Issei-kun," Asia exclaimed nervously._

 _"Ah, I see our little Nun wants to have her share as well," Raynare grinned. "So that is it Asia? You want Issei-kun´s dick too?"_

 _"Y-yes," Asia replied meekly._

 _"Well. When I think about it, since you were a Nun, haven´t you made a vow of chastity? You are a bad Holy Maiden, right?" Raynare teased her._

 _Suddenly Asia grinned._

 _"Yes, I am a veery bad Holy Maiden," she said now - just as theatrically as the Fallen Angel did. "Isn´t that what you want to hear Lady Raynare?" she asked._

 _"`Lady´ Raynare?" the Fallen Angel remarked smirking. "You are only still calling me that to taunt me, aren´t you? Especially since we are sitting here right now, about to be getting fucked side by side."_

 _Asia gave her only a now friendly smile in return. But she didn´t even deny it._

 _"If you say so `Lady Raynare´."_

 _"I see, you are **really** bad," Raynare smiled back. "And you truly want to join our little game? Okay - since you are a bad Holy Maiden, who are we to deny you this," the Fallen Angel stated smugly, "right Irina?"_

 _"Oh no! Now the Fallen Angel is actually corrupting this innocent Holy Maiden as well," the Exorcist girl called out, in a exagerrated tone that made it practically impossible to believe she was serious. "Have you no shame at all?" she asked playfully._

 _"Great words from a girl who had gladly taken it in the ass just a minute ago... and obviously enjoyed every moment of it," Raynare remarked._

 _"As if you hadn´t done the same thing just two days ago," Irina quipped. "That only shows how **much** you have corrupted me."_

 _"Don´t blame your own perverted desires on me. You had been a naughty girl right from the start. You only didn´t want to admit it." She grinned. "Our little arrangement here had only helped you to open up yourself."_

 _"Maybe," Irina admitted with a light smile._

" _Now come Asia," Raynare told her. "Don´t let Issei-kun wait."_

 _The former Nun made one step forward. Then the Fallen Angel laid a hand around her shoulder, draw her closer and laid her on the bed, right in front of them._

 _"Please Issei-kun, do it with me too," she said quietly to him, spreading her legs._

 _"Okay Asia-chan," he told her and positioned himself before her. She gasped a little as he grabbed her small breasts with his hands and started to kneed them._

 _"I love you... just like Raynare and Irina," he whispered to her as he slowly pushed his member inside her._

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Kuoh (alternate universe) - now  
_

Their group had just separated from the strange man named Zelretch. And they were about to leave Kuoh, since it was obvious that they first breach was caused by his presence and so not a threat.

Zelretch claimed he had some of his own business to take care of. Something that Gaeriel actually seemed to be quite happy about. Whatever happened in the past, it was clear that this two didn´t get along well with each other.

Issei took one last look at the other version of his hometown... before they would leave. He had a feeling that this was only the first of many other Kuohs he would get to see.

Then he and their trio of Fallen Angels formed transport circles beneath them and they teleported away, in the direction where they had detected the other dimensional breaches.

So they were leaving this version of Kuoh behind.

 **xxxxxxx**

Moments later they reappeared somewhere in the same area where the crash landing of the space-ship had happened several days before. The same region that was the source of the other two dimensional breaches.

"Good. Our next target is a few miles in that direction," Gaeriel announced, while pointing with a finger.

"You know, I think this little trip is actually quite nice," Issei mentioned.

"Why do you think that?" Irina asked him.

"Is that a question? I am here with a few of the hottest girls I know," he replied. "And we are all by ourselves out here. Imagine what we can all do together, as soon as we are finished with our job here. Imagine, boobs as far as the eye can see." He grinned.

Asia blushed a little at Issei´s perverted antic, remembering all too well what they had already been doing during the last weeks.

"Three of you are already my girlfriends. But my harem is still not complete. Remember my promise," he announced, "I will have my way with all of you," he declared.

Gaeriel and Kalawarner exchanged a short look. But they only smiled after a short moment.

"Like I told you," Gaeriel mentioned, "we probably won´t say no. That means if you actually make a move on us and not just talk about it of course. Right Kalawarner?" They were both Fallen Angels. And female Fallen were naturally both attractive and **very** seductive... and also quite open about sex in their culture.

What separated Gaeriel from practically all others of her kind, was that she had not fallen do to her sins - even if she knew she had committed more than her good share of them later - or born this way, how most of the Fallen Angels living today were. But she had given up her Godly Protection and become a Fallen willingly out of convenience.

But she had as well had, as she admitted, adapted quite quickly to that part of the nature of her new species. If she was honest, she had in fact adapted quite well to it.

If she remembered, Alyk had back then actually quite happy about this particular change in her, she thought a bit naughtily. But all that was back then, before he had changed into... what he had been in the end. Now thinking back at this times only hurt.

In the last time however, she knew she had another man by her side. One who cared about her, who was doing everything to protect her and the others. who was actually kindhearted and able to forgive... who would never become like this... even if she had to share him with a few others... and he was a complete pervert.

Not that she really particularly disliked this fact. she thought.

She remembered how Issei was always `admiring´ her body, with a light smirk on her face. Of course there was the little detail that he was a 16 year old human teenager, even if he had turned immortal now - and she was a centuries old being. But who cared about that under supernatural beings, right?

Yes, she had definitely become a Fallen Angel, in every sense of the word. But for now they had other matters to deal with.

"We will see about that. But first we have a job to do," she stated firmly.

 **xxxxxxx**

At the same time, not too far away, the other group, that consisted of the Issei, Irina, Xenovia and the counterpart of Kiba Yuuto of this world,

But while they were currently in the same general area, both teams were still far away from actually meeting each other. At least for the moment. But that could change soon.

"How much longer do you think it will be Iasa-kun?" Irina asked the boy, who in another world went by the name Yuuto Kiba a bit impatiently. Here, he was still carrying his birthname. This version of him also never became a Devil

"It has to be somewhere in this area Irina," the blonde haired swordfighter answered.

"As you remember, we agreed to come here because were the ones closest to this place," Xenovia reminded her sternly. "And like I remember; you had been all too eager to go when you heard we had a new task."

"Then I haven´t known that we would only be wandering through these woods for days without finding anything," Irina pouted a bit. "I had actually hoped for a bit of action, not this."

"I know what you mean. But what shall we do? It is also part of the job," Xenovia replied.

Issei - their Issei - was actually watching their exchange with a light smile. Aside from everything else, he was truly glad that he had met Irina again two months ago. He was truly glad to have her in his life again.

 **xxx**

This version of Issei Hyoudou was quite different from many of his counterparts across the multiverse. For once, he wasn´t a openly declared pervert and he didn´t dream about having a harem.

No, instead his dream was to become a hero. That and to be, as some would call it, a `Champion of Humanity´. He was completely away that his race was being used, exploited and generally looked down on by the members of the Three Factions, even the Angels to some degree.

And this was something he intended to change. By showing the entire world that humanity **could** be great, by setting an example. But of course also by fighting for them... and for the rest of the world. By defending it from threats.

That was also one of the reason he had decided to accept Irina´s offer to join their little group. Despite that they were working for the Church, he could tell that they had similar goals like himself, to protect humanity and beware the peace.

Their first and so far only, greater mission together, had been the battle against the Fallen Angel leader Kokabiel two months ago, as they had temporally teamed up with the sisters of two of the Devil Kings to protect them and their hometown Kuoh from Kokabiel´s attack and to keep him from triggering a new Great War. Before that Issei for his part, mostly had to deal with smaller matters involving Stray Devils, Fallen Angels or the Devils of Kuoh themselves.

This single battle against one of the Grigori leaders however had brought their entire team, but Issei especially - since he was the one who dealt the killing blow against Kokabiel, fame across the entire supernatural world.

A short time later they also played a role in stopping the assault of the terror organization known as Khaos Brigade against the peace meeting between the three Factions. There however, with the leadership of all three races present, they were only a few fighters out of many. Still they managed to prove themselves against a large number of dangerous enemies and proved their abilities even more in front of the Faction leaders themselves.

Since then however they had been mostly sitting around and either spend their time either training or doing nothing and hanging around in Kuoh town.

The Church had insisted that they would be staying in the area of Kuoh in case another attack happened. Afterall they had already two in only a few weeks. But so far nothing happened. That was also the reason they all had been glad when the Church had send them here as they had heard about the strange sightings in this region.

But so far this mission had turned out to be not much more than a glorified camping-trip. Something that Issei didn´t knew yet was that this would change very soon.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Several miles away - the crashed space-ship_

At the large burned out clearing in the forest... caused by the crash, less than a week ago, a single being was in this moment flying towards the marooned space ship. The figure had the appearance of a, quite attractive looking, dark haired young man... with bat-like wings.

It was the pureblooded Devil Diodora Astaroth, the brother of one of the Maous. Or at least the body was. And just like his counterpart, he was also a member of Khaos Brigade in this world. But the creature controlling his body in this moment, as he entered the insides of the spaceship, was someone completely else.

"Welcome back Phantom," a voice greeted him after he had landed.

"Commander Kheron," the being replied.

"Tell me, how did your recon mission go?"

"Better than I ever expected my Lord," the creature in Diodora´s body responded. "I originally only intended to take over some higher members of this `Devil society´ to gather information about them. But as it turned out, the owner of this body also had secret connections to another organization, one that could be very useful for our goals."

"I see," the commander stated. "Tell me more."

"The organization as a whole is called the Khaos Brigade. A silly name I know. But what I found so far is promising. The part of the organization that seems the most interesting for us is actually called the Hero Faction."

"Good, extract all the useful information you can find and take it with you. Your favorite body is here for you, as you see." He gestured to the form of a `man´ with short brown hair in clothes identical to Kheron´s, standing motionless at the other side of the room.

The man wasn´t moving a limb and whose face was completely expressionless. The reason was simply that the `man´ was only a puppet made of flesh, without a mind of it´s own - created especially to be the being called Phantom´s living vessel.

A black fog like substance started to flow out of Diodora. This was Phantom´s true self, his essence. It was floating through the room and then finally gathering itself around the form of the brown haired man and then entered motionless the body... that in the same moment started to come to life.

Before the transfer was even fully complete, Commander Kheron draw the blade he was carrying at his side and stabbed it through Diodora´s chest. Before the Devil even came fully back to his senses, he broke down dieing. The S.H.A leader watched with some bit of satisfaction how the disgusting creature perished.

 **xxx**

Phantom was one of the special agents, serving the Dark Order, that the entire SHA Empire was part of. While not part of th SHA himself - a race of modified humans - he was currently serving the Dark Order as part of their Empire.

The creature going by th codename Phantom, was actually a member of a race of body and formless beings, that normally existed outside of the physical world. But similar like the SHA himself, his nature had been changed a bit to serve the goals of the Dark Order better... and of course to bring him closer to perfection.

What was in some sense actually one and the same, since bringing the universe and it´s creature closer to `perfection´ was one of the greatest goals of the Dark Order and their creations, the SHA.

 **xxx**

When Kheron, Strike Fleet Commander of the S.H.A Empire - which in itself was only one of the many sub-factions of the Dark Order - had heard the reports about the state of this world they were stranded on, he had been appalled. Their non-enhance genetic brothers, as he realized very quickly, had in secret been subjugated by so called supernatural races. Especially the race known in this world as the Devils, and to some lesser degree also the Fallen Angels and even the Angels of Heaven, were using the humans as nothing but slaves, convenient tools and playthings.

It was a situation he intended to change. Of course they had no actual orders for a mission on this planet or in this reality. They were not even supposed to be here. But that didn´t really matter to him. He would not let things be like they are.

He could easily justify his actions, since he was still following the Codex of their race - the Codex given to them by the Dark Order and their masters, the Lords, to improve the universe by destroying what was unworthy. And beside that, he was pretty sure that the Lords by now were aware of where he and his crew were and what they were doing. Others might underestimate their power, but he was not one of them. The Lords were more than Gods afterall and they valued initiative. Since they had so far done nothing to contact them or interfere with his plans, he took their silence as approval.

Of course it was not so much that he felt true sympathy for these humans of this world. If they were weak enough, in body **and** mind, to be enslaved like that without even noticing, then it was their rightful fate.

No, it was a question of pride. They were ultimately still part of the same species afteral, despite all their changes and enhancements. The human race in this reality - like in any other - would live in freedom and **power**... or not at all, he thought.

 **xxx**

Kheron - closely followed by the creature he had called Phantom - was moving through the corridors of his crashed flagship, until they arrived in the central hall, where the most part of his soldiers was assembled in this moment. Under them was also the group that had been taking care of the family of `intruders´ a few hours earlier.

During the last battle, their ship had been separated from the rest of his fleet. Of his main crew of originally 45 soldiers, 32 had survived the last battle and the following crash on this remote version of Earth.

32 warriors and himself - every single one of them with superhuman and supernatural powers - but still, it was far from enough to directly take on an entire world full of supernatural beings.

But who said that they had to do that? Thanks to the information his subordinates had gathered during the last days, they had by now a pretty good picture of the inner workings of the supernatural world of this reality. They knew where they needed to strike to cause the greatest possible damage to their enemies... and about possible allies in their mission. The information that Phantom had gotten out of the mind of this Devil named Diodora Astaroth, was especially useful.

A group of three warriors - two men and a woman - was stepping forward, out of the crowd. None of them was looking older than 35 or maybe 40. No SHA ever would. Thanks to the changes and improvements the Dark Order had made on their genetic make-up when they created their race out of regular humans, they had been practically given physical immortality. None of them would ever age beyond their mid-thirties, except if they spezifically wanted to. They were immune to most kind of deseases. Aside from physical injuries, they could technically live forever.

But of course they had been created as warriors for the great cause, to live and die for their holy goals of recreating the universe. So dieing in battle was a very possible outcome for their lives. And some of them, at least these three, would.

"You three have volunteered and were chosen to play the key role in our new mission on this world," Kheron addressed them. "You three my friends, have been given th honor to be chosen as the tool that will cause our genetic brothers in this dimension to finally open their eyes and stand up against their supernatural oppressors and take the place in their world that is meant for them by destiny," he declared loudly.

None of these three would survive their task. All of them knew this, including them. This was part of the plan from the beginning. but they had still volunteered. They would die for the cause, like so many before and like many would afterwards.

"You will not survive your task," he reminded the three soldiers. "No, instead you will die by our own hand. You will wear the face of the enemy and use it to light up the fire that burns in humanity... even here. You will bath in the blood of our brethen, starting the process of weeding out the weak and making them aware of the enemy right in their mids at the same time. Humanity will rise again, here in this world here as in so many others... and with them we, the SHA will," he shouted at the gathering of his crew.

He was answered by roaring applause from his usually very disciplined crew.

Soon this three soldiers would undergo a procedure to completely change their genetical structure. This was another small thing to thank this creature named Diodora for. His body supplied them with perfect samples of the cells of these Devil race.

The three chosen warriors would die, a small sacrifice for a world. But all the carnage they would be causing until then, would not be credited to them, but to the Devils.

Yes, Kheron thought, he would make sure that the humanity in this universe would take their rightful place in this world... even if he had to slaughter half of them to reach it.

 **xxxxxxx**

It was a few hours later at the same day. It was slowly starting to get dark.

The small group of inexperienced Guardians was by now coming closer to the source of the second dimensional breach their organization had detected.

"It is very close," Gaeriel stated. "Probably right down that hill." She pointed in the direction."

 **xxx**

What they found a minute later was a surprise, even to them.

There, sitting in front of a small campfire and lying against a tree, was a woman who was obviously the source ofthe dimensional breach. The reason they were so sure about this was quite simply. The woman was obviously not human. She was also not a Devil, Angel, Yokai or a member of any other supernatural species.

No, she was something completely else... alien. The woman had purple skin, pointed ears and goldish yellow eyes with black pupils. None of them could sense any sort of supernatural energy coming from her - at least none that they could detect. But it was, alone because of her appearance, quite certain that she wasn´t a regular inhabitant of this world.

... And they were just standing there, right before her.

The alien woman looked equally surprised as them. And then it happened... She activated her own powers.

They all suddenly actually felt a strange power coming from her, of a sort they had never sensed before. Nearly at the same moment, a greenish shimmering energy was appearing in the air before them... and forming itself into what looked like transparent, but solid, objects, weapons - blades and clubs - made of green light, hovering in the air in front of them.

"Wait," Gaeriel told her. "We don´t want to harm you." Thanks to their magic, that allowed them to understand all sorts of languages, they were actually able to talk with the woman. "We just want to know what a member of the Green Lantern Corps is doing here... and in this world."

"The Green Lantern Corp?" Irina questioned. She vaquely remembered that that this organization had once been mentioned during their training as one of the other groups with the purpose of defending the many existing universes.

"How do you know what I am?" the female alien asked them distrustful.

"We are... members of a group that is active in several universes. Our organization is usually called the Guardians."

As she heard this, the alien visibly relaxed.

"So you have found me," she said. "I had not expected our allies to locate me so quickly." The weapons the woman had conjured disappeared.

"Allies?" Issei asked in surprise. This being here knew about the Guardians? He looked at Gaeriel, who however seemed just as confused as he was.

 **xxxxxxx**

Many miles away - back at Kuoh, on a small hill, just outsode the town border - two powerful beings were having a conversation.

One of them was the mysterious eccentric Vamppire being they had met earlier, named Zelretch. The other was not actually physically present, but was there as a mental projection, in form of a transparent nearly featureless silhuette... this other was one of the Lords of the Dark Order called Faust.

"Don´t you find this situation just as interesting as I do, my friend?" the phantom asked him.

"A interesting situation that **might** cause the death of millions and maybe the destruction of entire races," Zelretch commented drily.

"Isn´t that the case with nearly all truly important matters?" Faust asked him cynically.

"It seems very often, they are," the Vampire admitted.

"Aren´t you curious how your young unknowing protege will hold himself?" Faust inquired. "It is kind of ironic, isn´t it? that his opponents have in many senses similar goals like himself. They both want the rise of humanity. However I think their ideas about it would be quite different, wouldn´t you agree

"As different as night and day," Zelretch responded. "One wants humanity to rise to freedom and grace, the other to dominance over this world."

"Well, we will see which side will win out, right?" Faust stated. "I trust you to keep our mutual agreement and leave it to the young ones to settle this matter between themselves. Otherwise we might decide to get involved ourselves. And you know the possible consequences of this."

 **xxxxxxx**

Issei and his team were now actually sitting at the campfire, together with the alien woman, who had introduced herself to them as Silar Lal... a Green Lantern. And she had explained to them how she had landed in this world, during a mission.

"So you have been part of the search for the creature named Galid," Gaeriel stated, "... together with some of our own teams. And that is the reason you know about our organization?"

The Green Lantern nodded.

"Yes," she replied. "During the last months, there had been several attacks on several remote places on offside planets in one of the galaxis under the protection of the Green Lantern Corps. It had never been greater settlements that had been attacked. Despite that however hundreds of innocent beings had already died and we had no idea what kind of being might be responsible for the attacks. The closest thing you would probably compare it with by what I know of Earth culture, would be terror assaults. Ahm, this is a version of Earth I am on, right?" the alien woman asked now, a bit unsure.

"It is," Issei answered.

The alien woman had now calmed down, was in a more peaceful mood and he had come to take a closer look at her. He admitted, despite her clearly non human looks, she was actually quite attractive. At least she was a member of a humanoid race. And despite her unusual purple skin, he noticed that she had a nice bust.

"But it is quite different from the Earth you are used to, believe me," Gaeriel added.

"What happened then?" Raynare wanted to know.

"Well, by what I knew it was then, when members of your organization contacted my leaders and offered them help and information about this being we were dealing with.

By what we had been told, it was a member of a group that they were only calling `The Lords´ who had disappeared a long time ago and now seemed to have shown up again. So we had accepted their offer to work together to find and stop this creature before it could grow more powerful and harm even more people."

"Gaeriel, wasn´t this the mission Darien and the others went to two months ago?" Irina questioned.

"Yes, the same mission that caused them to be absent while you decided to run off and deal with Crocel on your own?" Raynare remarked.

"And nearly got all of us killed?" Kalawarner added smirking.

Gaeriel winced a little as she was once again remainded of her latest mess up.

"Yes," she confirmed. "What happened then?" she asked the Green Lantern named Silar. "How came you to be stranded here?"

"As it turned out, our teams were not the only ones looking for this creature?" Silar answered. "On our journey group we were confronted by a group of beings that your people were calling the SHA."

"Them?" Gaeriel said. "Of course."

"Ahm Gaeriel, who or what are the SHA?" Issei asked.

"That is something I would like to know as well," Raynare stated.

"The SHA. We have told you about the civilizations that are influenced or controlled by the Dark Order," Gaeriel responded. "They are one of them... and possible the most dangerous. Simply explained, they are a race of genetically modified humans, that were created and indoctrinated by the Dark Order to serve as their soldiers and enforcers. The term S.H.A stands for Super Human Augmentations.

They are generally fanatically devoted to the Dark Order and their philosophy. They all have supernatural abilities and powers at the very least rivalling a high level Exorcist of the Church of our world."

"So they are a race of evil super-humans? Great," Raynare commented sardonically. "Just exactly what I always wanted to deal with."

"Yes, that is exactly how your people we had been working with had described them as well," Silar told them. "A battle broke out, between my group, your team, that was present and their fleet. I don´t even know how it ended. Only that we had heavy losses. During the fighting, one of their ships was thrown through a hyperspace gate... and I along with them."

Gaeriel´s gaze now snapped back to the alien woman.

"Are you telling us that they are here as well, in this world?" she asked her concerned. "An entire ship full of them?"

"Well, I can not be quite sure if they had survived their crash. But yes, if they did, they should be here in this world."

"The greatest dimensional breach," Gaeriel murmured. "This is worse than we had ever expected."

"Gaeriel?" Issei asked.

"If they are here, on this planet, then this entire world is in danger," she told him.

 **xxxxxxx**

A short time later, the Exorcist team, consisting of Issei´s and the other´s counterparts, was now seeing something that caused their originally quite mood to make a turn to the worst. They were standing in front of the burned remains of an entire slaughtered family - who had been labeled as `intruders´ and killed, just because they came too close to the crashed ship of the SHA.

"Who could have done this?" Irina asked in shock.

"It seems that the Church was right," Xenovia stated. "There is supernatural activity in this area."

"What makes you so sure?" Issei asked. "I mean, could this not simply be the word of some serial-killer or something?"

"It wasn´t," Kiba´s counterpart told him. "Don´t you feel the leftovers of supernatural energy around here."

Despite being the most powerful, mostly thanks to his Boosted Gear, Issei was also the least experienced member of their group. While the others had actually years of actual training as Exorcists, he only had months. As he concentrated his own powers more, he could sense it as well.

"Yes, there is a trace," he said. "But it is somehow strange. I am sure, it was at least no Devil or Fallen Angel who did this. Actually... Ddraig?..." he asked his version of the Red Dragon.

 **[I know what you think partner. This energy signature feels almost human. But it is far too strong for any kind of regular human to come from,]** Ddraig confirmed his thoughts.

"Maybe it was a Sacred Gear user," Xenovia offered.

"In that case it would be the energy of the Sacred Gear we would be sensing, not that of the wielder," Issei responded.

"Then maybe we are dealing with a powerful Stray Exorcist or maybe a mage," `Kiba´ said.

"Whoever it is," Irina declared, "we will find him. We won´t let anyone get away with something like this."

Issei nodded.

"We know now that there is an actual threat here in this area," Issei stated. "We will search this entire region if we have to and we will find them and stop them from doing something like this again."

 **xxxxxxx**

A few hours later it had become night.

Issei and his Guardian group had sat down for the evening and were about to go to sleep. Unknown to them, not so far away from them, their Exorcist counterparts who were doing the same thing.

Both groups were sleeping in small tents. While the Exorcist had brought them along however, the Guardian group had simply conjured theirs with magic.

They had not located the SHA yet or even decided how to continue from here on. Taking on an entire crew of the Dark Order´s genetically enhanced warriors with their small group alone, would very likely simply be too much for them. So the question was, should they actually try to find the enemy by themselves or was it better to return and ask for help first.

But that was a question left for tomorrow.

Most of their team had already gone to bed.

At this moment Gaeriel, who was still up, had just made a decision. It was however one that had nothing to do with the current threat, but instead with another matter that was going through her head for the last week.

She was walking right to their makeshift camp, right in the direction of Issei´s sleeping place.

"And where do you think you're going Gaeriel?" she heard Raynare´s voice coming from the side, sounding quite amused. As she turned around she saw that actually not all of the others were sleeping yet. In fact, both Raynare & Irina were still quite awake and sitting inside the tent the Fallen Angel had chosen for herself... looking at her.

"As if you don´t exactly know that," Gaeriel replied smiling. "After all you two are doing the same thing nearly every night."

 **xxxxxxx**

Around the same time, in another part of that world, Cao Cao, the leader of the sub-group of Khaos Brigade called the Hero Faction, had received a mysterious message and an offer for an alliance, coming from a group he had never heard of, calling themselves the SHA.

* * *

 **As you have seen, the first part of the chapter was pure lemons and was a flashback to the time of the two month gap between Arc 2 and 3.** **The rest of the chapter continues the storyline for this Arc.**

 **xxx**

 **The SHA are an idea that I came up with on my own. So they are not directly based on any other show and my own invention. Inspirations were of course the Augments from Star Trek, the Nicheans from Andromeda and the servant races of the Shadows from Babylon 5.  
**

 **They are the main antagonists for this story Arc, beside - as most of you can probably guess, the Hero Faction.**

 **Kheron´s name is based on Charon the Greek Mythology, as the ferryman of the dead. He is however not an mythological creature, but has in-universe chosen this name himself. Names based on myhology like that are meant to be quite usual for the Sha.  
**

 **The characters from Gods of Darkness will most likely reappear in the next chapter.**

 **xxx**

 **Reply to guest review: Like I said, I had asked Writer with Bad Grammar already multiple times over about a months and got no answer.**


	20. Chapter 20: Issei x 3

**Chapter 20  
**

 _Issei´s group - currently in the newest parallel world they had travelled to  
_

Issei was lying in his tent. Hopefully by tomorrow they would manage to find this `Sha´, that Gaeriel had been talking about and give their location to the Guardian´s headquarters.

They actually had a discussion about how to go on from here about an hour ago. Should they contact headquarters and ask for reinforcements? Or should they try to confront the Sha by themselves? Like Gaeriel, most of them thought that this was a really stupid idea.

Raynare for her part had made her opinion on the matter quite clear.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _A few hours earlier_

"Let me make this clear," she had stated, "I am a fighter for the Grigori. My duty here is to help you explore other realities - like this one - and bring information about them back to Lord Azazel. That and to maintain a connection to the Guardians- that **you two** are part of, Issei-kun and Gaeriel.

Not to fight cosmic threats to these worlds. Like that group of engineered super humans here. I am not a fucking superhero... and not a supervillain either. I might have done some things I regret now," she said with a side-glance at Asia, "but I have done them for the sake of the Fallen Angels... and only that."

"I hate to admit it, but Raynare-chan has a point," Irina stated. "The Church wanted me and Xenovia here for a similar reason. Still, if these SHA are a danger for the people on this world, I feel that we should help them."

"I feel the same way," Asia told them.

"What part of `we are badly outnumbered´ did you two not understand?" Raynare responded. "We can help them far better when we just wait for reinforcements and then let **them** do the job. You know? the `experts´ - the guys who have actual experience with these SHA's."

In opposite to what some people might claim, Raynare was not a coward. A coward wouldn´t have willingly accepted a mission that required her to work completely alone in Devil territory. A coward wouldn´t have been walking around right under the nose of the enemy, observing a Sacred Gear user... and then later deciding to kill him with said enemy close by - as much as she by now regretted the last part.

But that didn´t mean that she was suicidal enough to charge headfirst to an enemy they knew nothing about, while being outnumbered at least five to one.

 **[I have to say I agree with Gaeriel and Raynare,]** Ddraig said, loud for all to hear. **[While my pride as a Dragon certainly told me to face this enemy, we just don´t know enough about this group.]**

"That doesn´t exactly sound like the battle-hungry Red Dragon Emperor of legend," Kalawarner commented drily.

 **[I had once run foolishly into a fight, Fallen Angel. Do you know what happened?]** he responded. **[I ended up being sealed into this Sacred Gear.]**

 _"Rushing into a battle without knowing the full picture can easily lead to defeat."_ Irina was hearing a voice coming from her own sword. _"No matter how powerful you are."_

"It seems Merlin agrees with you," she stated, after a short look at her Excalibur, that was now radiating a mysterious glow... as always when she or Xenovia contacted the soul-shards that were bounded to their weapons.

"But what if they... what if they kill someone while we are waiting?" Asia questioned.

"Okay, we do it like we had proposed. We just locate them at first and then send their location to headquarters. And let them deal with them. When we see that someone is in direct danger, we will interfere ourselves," Issei declared. "Does everyone agree with this?"

"I for my part have sworn to protect the universe," the Green Lantern named Silar told them. "But this isn´t my home-universe. I agree. Unless we realize that something dangerous is going to happen, we will wait."

Raynare gritted her teeth.

"Damn it. Being a cold-hearted bitch was so much easier. Here you see what you have done to me Issei-kun," she told him jokingly.

He only smiled at her warmly at her comment.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Now_

Thinking back about this little exchange, he was smiling once again. It were such small things, when he truly realized how much Raynare - Yuuma - had changed for the better. And he was happy to have given her a second chance.

He knew that several of his counterparts across the multiverse couldn´t bring themslves to do that. A few actually allowed Rias Gremory to kill her. He however - he admitted the thought made him sick. He, right now could not even comprehend of **not** forgiving her.

Knowing people like Crocel, Kokabiel or Freed Selzen, he knew now what true evil was. And he knew Raynare wasn´t like them.

He also knew that this versions of him ended up traumatized for years to come because of all what happened, while he actually had her around, had the chance to talk things out and come to terms with everything. So in opposite to these doubles of him, he clearly had drawn the better lot.

Being who he was, Issei of course also used his time to fantasize a bit about his other female teammates.

But as he suddenly heard the entrance of the tent being opened, he realized that he had a visitor.

"Gaeriel? What are you doing here?" he asked. She was in her `civilian form´, he noticed... instead of the leathern battle-gear that she materialized when they were on missions - the aequivalent of what her `Yuuma form´ was to Raynare.

"I am only here so we can do what you have been talking about for months," she said `innocently´. "Issei, really... a girl comes into your tent at night and you actually ask her what she wants? Really, what kind of a pervert are you?" she asked him suggestively.

For a few moments he was only staring at her.

"Maybe I should make it more easy for you," she told him and begann to open her blouse... revealing her quite impressive breasts to him, that were still covered in a black bra. "Now?" she asked him.

I see," he smiled. "You are really serious about this?"

"Yes. I am. Issei, during the last few months, I have come to care about you deeply," she responded. "And - and I know that you will always be there for me. Even after all the shit that you had found out about, what I have done... you are still holding onto me."

"Of course I do. That is all in the past, right? And I know that you are really trying to make up for it. Beside's, I have forgiven Raynare, right? So how could I blame you?"

"But you love Raynare," she pointed out.

"I do," he said, "... but I care about you as well. You have always been there for me. You have always helped me from the beginning. You were my friend. Without you I would have been lost."

Before he even fully realized it, Gaeriel already moved forward, pressed her body against his and started to kiss him.

"Don´t say something like that," she told him. "It was my task to help you. But you - you just... did it... all on your own," she said while they were kissing.

She opened her bra and freed her breasts completely. Issei, of course, grabbed them instantly and started to kneed and fondle them. That caused her to moan a bit.

She reached out to Issei´s trousers, opened them and stroked his member, before taking it out. He was already hard and she could see that what the other girls had said about his size was truly not an understatement.

Gaeriel knew she was joining a harem that already consisted of three current members. And a few more candidates in the waiting. But right now she didn´t care about this at all.

She knew some people would probably say she lacked pride as a woman to actually willingly become a member of a harem. Gaeriel saw that differently. At least he cared about every single one of them and showed it, unlike... `him´.

There were much worse things than sharing a man - a boy - with others. She would know that. She had allowed one man to use and manipulate her for his own agenda... and turn her into a murderer. But Issei had still accepted her after finding out about her past. Even after she, with one bullheaded move to defeat Alyk, had nearly gotten them all killed, he and the others didn´t hold it against her.

She lifted up her skirt and pulled down her panties, before she positioned herself above Issei´s lap and his dick. Her quite disleveled brown hair was falling around her face and over her shoulders, while she was looking at him with her big round violet eyes.

A quite erotic sight, as Issei thought.

"Now fuck me," she whispered to him. "Don´t hold anything back." She impaled herself on him with one quick move.

Issei happily complied and fucked her hard, while she was sitting on his lap. He felt Gaeriel´s walls clenching around him as he moved inside her vagina. For a moment the thought crossed his mind that that bastard Crocel had done the same with her, had been at the same place - felt the same thing. The very idea unsettled him somewhat.

But, he would never treat her like that guy did, Issei told himself.

"Hey, are you two done with each other soon?" they heard a voice coming from just outside the tent. "Others are waiting out here for their turn and are getting more and more hornier."

"Kalawarner?" Issei asked in surprise.

The other Fallen Angel opened the zipper of the entrance and stepped inside.

"Yes, I have been waiting here for a while now. I wanted to make a... well visit, to you this evening. But as it turned out, Gaeriel had the same idea and was there first," she explained.

"Don´t tell me you have fallen in love with me too?" he said a bit perplexed.

"Fallen in love? No, I it isn´t as serious with me," she replied . "I am just... curious," she admitted with a smirk. "I have heard the other girls talk about you sometimes. How good you have become from doing it with them nearly every day... and how big you are. So I fear, I just want to try out your dick," she said grinning... while opening a jacket and her bra and letting her large breasts hanging out.

"Beside that," she whispered quietly to him, while she lifted up her miniskirt and slipped out of her panties, "I really like doing it with young boys. It makes me feel attractive, as if myself were still a young girl."

Issei, after hearing her confession, grew even harder - just like Kalawarner had intended with her words - and much to Gaeriel´s joy, who was still riding him.

"You slut," she commented between moans. She was however not really in a strong position with her argument, since she still had Issei´s penis inside her.

"Are you really in a position to talk?" Kalawarner asked. "I have to say, you might not have fallen through sin, but you are certainly living up to it. Tell me, how is it to be ravished by a boy less than a tenth your age? Does it feel good?"

"Issei," Gaeriel said to him. "Can you, can you still go on?" she asked.

"You-you can count on it," he said, while he thrusted into her once more, causing another moan.

"Then ahh... could you do me a favor? Could you fuck this little bitch so hard that she won´t walk straight tomorow?" she asked him with a grin... that was `surprisingly´ mirrored by Kalawarner herself.

Issei smiled. This was just going great, better than he had even dreamed about. He admitted he was the most luckiest pervert on the face of the planet - even if he technically wasn´t on his planet right now.

He instantly pulled out of Gaeriel, stood up and walked over to Kalawarner. She got a look at his size and was by far not disappointed.

Then Issei pulled her to himself. He roughly kneeded her breasts with his left hand and grabbed her ass with the other.

"So big," he whispered, looking at her boobs.

"Strange, I just wanted to say the same thing," Kalawarner commented, taking his dick in her hand and caressing his balls with the other.

At the same time, Issei let one of his fingers gliding into her pussy.

"Y-you realized that I said this on purpose, right? This is exactly what I had intended," Kalawarner pointed out.

Issei pushed her on the ground, on all four and positioned himself behind her.

"Of course," he replied, "and now you are getting what you have asked for."

He thrust into her deeply with one stroke. Kalawarner cried out a bit from the sudden intrusion.

"I am sorry. I hope this didn´t hurt too much," he whispered to her. "But I promised Gaeriel to be rough with you and... well, this is what you wanted. Do you like it?" he asked, while he thrusted inside her hard a few more times.

"Y-yes," she called out in pleasure.

"Issei... please," Gaeriel said to him. She took a place right next to him and he pushed his fingers inside her pussy, while he had his other arm around Kalawarner´s shoulders and was squeezing her oversized breasts, as he was fucking her from behind.

 **xxx**

Outside, the rest of their small camp was in fact still awake. The were all sitting side by side, in a short disance away.

"Is this normal with you?" Silar asked. She was sitting just next to Raynare, Irina and Asia. The were all hearing the noises coming from Issei´s tent.

"For the most part, yes," Irina replied.

"But normally it is **us** , who Issei-kun is doing it with," Asia stated.

In this moment they heard loud moaning and then a shout, obviously coming from Kalawarner, out of the tent.

"All of you at once?" Silar asked.

"Well, not always. But quite often, yes," Irina answered, blushing.

"It seems however that Gaeriel wants to join our little harem as well," Raynare commented. "And Kalawarner wants to have a turn too as it seems. So we decided to leave him to them for this night."

"I have to say the mating practices seemed to be quite different than on the Earth I know about," the alien woman said.

"Well, I admit, we might not exactly be standard," Raynare replied. "But at least in the Supernatural World, there are many not different from us."

"But I will not, be expected to join this... ahm harem of yours as well, just because I am travelling with you, right? Or will I?" Silar questioned.

For a split-second the Fallen Angel looked at her in open surprise about her question. Until she remembered that the woman had probably knows only a superficial knowledge of Earth's customs... and the Earth in question was not even theirs. Then she broke out into wild laughter.

"That is rich," Raynare exclaimed. "No - unless of course you want to, then we can talk about it." She giggled.

Irina and Asia were laughing as well, even if they were trying to hold herself back, especially Asia.

"That was a completely justified question," the alien said, her face in a deeper shade of purple than a moment before. "How I am supposed to know about this perverted customs in your world?"

This caused all of them - especially Raynare - only to laugh even harder.

They heard another scream coming from Kalawarner, mixed with a moan that sounded like it was from Gaeriel.

 **xxx**

A few seconds after she had orgasmed with a loud cry, Issei felt himself tightening and came inside Kalawarner and then let her sink to the ground. He and both Fallen Angels were breathing heavily.

"It-it seems you have learned a bit with Raynare and the others," Kalawarner panted. "I hope this isn´t over yet," she said, looking at his now limb member.

"I hope the same," Gaeriel stated. "After all, we still need to continue with what we were doing."

"Just give me a few moments," he replied. "Believe me, I don´t think about stopping yet." He grinned.

After around 20 minutes, they continued for another round... until they decided it was time to quit, since they needed to sleep, to be ready for the next day.

 **xxxxxxx**

The next morning they continued on their way where they had detected the source of the greatest dimensional breach, the place where they knew they would find the SHA.

A short time later, they began to sense supernatural energies in the area. They had found them. But they realized soon that the SHA weren´t the only ones they had found.

They saw it as they were looking down from a small hill. Below them was a clearing, obviously created by the impact of the object they saw in it´s center... a space-ship, just like Gaeriel and the Green Lantern had said.

But another thing surprised them even more than that. They had found the SHA. But as it looked, they were already in a fight with `someone else´ -if you could call it that.

And the people they were fighting against were nobody else than Issei Hyoudou, Irina Shidou, Xenovia Quarta and Kiba Yuuto.

"What the hell?" Issei stated.

"It seems our doubles have actually found them before us," Irina said. "This have to be our selves from this world."

"Yours and Issei´s at least," Raynare commented. "Who would have thought that your own counterparts were looking for them as well. So these are the SHA," she stated, looking at the Exorcist group´s opponents.

"But this down there are not only them," Gaeriel said. She recognized it nearly instantly, because unlike the others, she had actually seen SHA warriors before.

They saw that she was right. At least five of the opponents, the native Issei and his team were fighting, were actually Sacred Gear users.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _20 minutes before_

It was a short time earlier, that the Exorcist group, had found what they were looking for.

Now they were only standing there with open mouths.

"I-Issei-kun, is that what I think it is?" `Irina´ asked completely perplexed.

"A space-ship... a UFO... this is just..." `Xenovia´ murmured.

"It seems so," `Kiba´ said quietly... as well not quite believing what he saw.

"D-does that mean we are dealing with Aliens?" `Xenovia´ questioned.

"It seems the Church had a good reason to send us here," `Issei´ said.

Then suddenly, they were sensing the foreign presences that were coming from everywhere around them. They had been surrounded... and they had not even realized it until now.

"The Church you say?" they heard a voice coming from the woods behind them. "Thank you for giving us that information."

As they turned around, they saw that it was a man, maybe in his early thirties, with brown hair. He certainly didn´t look like an alien. That was for sure. He was closely followed by a half dozen others. They all were wearing identical looking, black and red colored leathers clothes... uniforms, they realized.

"Who are you?" `Xenovia´ asked.

"This is a complicated story... and I fear it would take too much time to explain it all to you now," one of the strangers, a dark haired young woman, stated. "What you should know however, is that we have orders to eliminate everybody who breaches our parameter. In other words. You have come too close, so you have to die." She raised her hand... and sparks of electricity began suddenly to spread through her fingers.

A moment later she fired lightning at them from her bare hands.

`Irina´ and `Xenovia´ used their Holy Swords to try to block it and succeeded... barely. But that didn´t mean that the attack didn´t cause some damage. They had both visible burns on their clothes and also their skin.

`Issei´ could feel anger coming up inside him as he saw the state of his two friends. He materialized both, his Boosted Gear and summoned the sword Ascalon, that had been given to him by Michael, at the Peace Meeting. He also activated his `other´ power. And he was ready to use them against his opponents.

But in the next moment something else happened. A lock opened on the metal structure, that they had already concluded was a crashed space-ship... and a line of figures came flying out.

"Wait," one of them addressed the fighters who had surrounded the Exorcists. The one who spoke was a tall man, who seemed to be their leader.

"As I told you, our offer to work together would lead to interesting results," he said to a dark haired young man, who was closest to him. "You see, the Church has already send someone after us... and given us a few interesting candidates in the process."

"You talk as if it is an accomplishment to have the Church sending someone after you," the young man replied.

"It is, if you proof that you can deal with them easily," the leader of the strangers replied. "Or even better, if you are able to draw them to your side. "And these four certainly have potential."

He turned to `Issei´ and his friends.

"May I introduce myself. I am Kheron, Commander of the SHA Empire. As you have certainly guessed, I and my warriors are not from this world. But we are still human. Only with some small, well, modifications."

"If you are human, how can you not be from this world?" Kiba´s double asked.

Kheron only smiled.

"In simple words - We come, as you would call it, from another dimension, another reality. Our ancestors came indeed from Earth, but not the Earth of this world," he explained.

They were looking at the man, watching for any sign that he was joking.

"We came here by accident, as you can probably guess by the state of our ship. but we have seen and are appalled by the state humanity is in, in this reality," Kheron stated.

"You have to know what he is talking about, right? as servants of the Church," the young man next to him added. "You must have seen how humanity is being subjugated and exploited for their own end by supernatural beings of all factions. How they were being held down by them."

"And who are you?" Xenovia asked him.

"Oh right? I forgot. May I introduce myself?" he said. "I am Cao Cao, the leader of the Hero Faction. And these are Georg, Jeanne," he pointed to a tall dark haired man with glasses and then at the only woman in his team, a young girl with blonde hair, "Siegfried and Heracles," he gestured to the last members. "They are descandants of the real heroes of their names and like myself, they want to have humanity break free from their shackles and rise again," he ended his small speech.

Those words certainly hit a nerve on Issei. He knew exactly what they were talking about. Actually, he agreed with much of it. But that didn´t mean that this people here were the good guys.

"Tell me, the family we have found slaughtered a few miles from here. Were you responsibe for this?" he wanted to know.

The frown on Kheron´s and Cao Cao´s faces were barely visible, but it was there.

"So you know about this," Kheron commented. "I guess that means we won´t come to an agreement?"

"With murderers like you? Never," `Kiba´ replied. "We might agree with some of what you say, but we will never agree with that."

"How unlucky... for both of us," Kheron answered sadly. "Especially for you. Kill them," he ordered his men. "Unless of course, you have still use for them?" He turned to his ally.

"No, I agree with your decision," Cao Cao said, while materializing his Sacred Gear, that had the form of a spear. "They are just too much of a liability right now, for the plan you had suggested. Sadly, in any other case, I would have gladly taken the time to convince them of our cause."

Kheron fired a beam of energy at them from his bare hand. Issei lifted up Ascalon, trying to block it and concentrated all his power. But the strength of the attack was incredible. His Sacred Gear gave him a boost and he was finally able to send the blast into another direction.

His friends, he saw, were already struggling with some of Kheron´s soldiers, who had charged them at the same moment their leader had started the fight.

Cao Cao, he noticed, just gave his comrades a nod, and the members of the Hero Faction joined them as well.

Issei knew they had no chance. They were completely and hopelessly outmatched. He knew that since Kheron´s first attack. If his warriors had only half they power that their commander did...?

In this moment Cao Cao appeared right next to him. He had moved so fast that Issei´s eyes could barely follow him. His spear was raised up and now glowing with a powerful energy, ready to strike his opponent down. Their was no time to turn around and use Ascalon to block it. And even then, he wasn´t sure if even the Holy Sword would have been able to block this kind of weapon was that?

Issei was barely able to avoid the blow. He could sense, if it had hit him, it would have most likely been his end.

"I have of course heard of you Issei Hyoudou," Cao Cao stated. "Your victory over Kokabiel is known to everyone after all. I had actually hoped to recruit you."

"Not if you are willingly cooperating with a group who kills innocent people and children," Issei replied.

"Kheron contacted me and offered us a plan that might enable us to reach our goals," Cao Cao shrugged. "We are working with him to reach that goal - and for as long as it is promising for our group. That is all."

"That is all?" Issei repeated angrily.

"Yes," Cao Cao responded, attempting another strike.

Issei concentrated **all** of his powers into his blade and activated his Balance Breaker. He exchanged a few blows with his opponent and his spear. But he could see on Cao Cao´s expression, that he was still not completely serious, while Issei was giving all he had.

"This weapon here, if you want to know, is the True Longinus - the spear that ended the life of Jesus Christ - the strongest of all Longinus Gears," Cao Cao told him with a smile on his face. "Even with all the power you possess, you have no chance."

Meanwhile Kheron was now facing Kiba - his appearance had somehow changed. It looked as if his entire body had turned into metal... while his eyes now glowed in a crimson red. He and his warriors clearly possessed supernatural powers, very strong ones. Kheron himself seemed to be able to change the structure of his body at will, not to mention shoot very powerful blasts from his hands.

But he didn´t see that, even one of them used a Sacred Gear or something similar. It came all from themselves. Issei remembered Kheron´s words. Was it truly possible to modify humans to possess powers like this? just from birth and training?

Irina and Xenovia were fighting two of the Sacred Gear users, who followed Cao Cao. Most of the others were just standing around them, not getting involved in the fight.

"Yes, you are truly `worthy´," Kheron said. "It is a shame that we need to get rid of you."

Issei knew that was the only reason they were still alive. It seemed their leaders wanted a `good fight´. But their opponents could always just change their minds and finish them off in full force. They needed to get out of here.

In the next moment Cao Cao suddenly did something unextected. His Sacred Gear, that he so far had only used at short range, suddenly formed a long blade of light, that reached over the entire distance between them and was still extending.

Issei senses told him in the last split-second to try to dodge, before the light-blade - that cut right through his scale armor - was stabbed into his shoulder. Without his instincts, it would have pierced his heart instead.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Now_

They were watching how Issei´s, Irina´s, Xenovia´s and Kiba´s doubles were still desperately trying to hold their own. The only reason they were still standing was that only a small number of their opponents were actually fighting them, they all saw.

The only good thing was, that so far nobody seemed to have noticed them, since they were all concentrating on the ongoing fight.

"They are as good as dead," Raynare stated.

"They are," Gaeriel confirmed, "and this is not even all of the crew they are facing."

"We need to save them," Issei said.

"You are serious about this?" Raynare questioned.

"Yes. This are basically me, Irina, Xenovia and Kiba down there. We can not just let them die... and you know that," he added, seeing her expression.

"Gaeriel, can you prepare a portal to bring us out of here, at the right moment we have them?" he asked.

"Yes. But that is still no guarantee that we won´t get killed before we have the chance to use it," she replied.

The next moment they saw Issei´s double getting stabbed.

"Damn, it looks as if I actually am a fucking hero now," Raynare commented.

 **xxx**

`Issei´ who had just been stabbed by the True Longinus light-blade, went to his knees. His Balance Breaker armor vanished around him. If he had been a Devil or another dark creature, he would have already been dead. The Spear would have annihilated him. But as what he was, a human and a servant of the Church, he was able to survive at least the contact.

"It was a good fight Issei Hyoudou, but you have underestimated both me and my weapon," Cao Cao told him.

The next moment, however, something happened that nobody would have expected.

Suddenly **another** Issei Hyoudou and Irina Shidou, accompanied by three Fallen Angels and a strange alien woman, surrounded by a green light, came flying on the battlefield. This Issei activated his own Balance Breaker, while the Fallen Angels showed their six and in the other two cases, four wings.

For a second, even Cao Cao could only stare with an open mouth at what he saw.

The entire group attacked at once, directed at both the SHA and the members of the Hero Faction. Issei´s Dragonshot, accompanied by a volley of powerful light-spears, forced the fighters who had surrounded the Exorcist group to draw back. The purple skinned alien meanwhile materialized weapons and large objects out of thin air, that forced the remaining opponents to draw back.

Issei had reached his wounded double. He was closely flanked by Raynare and Gaeriel, who was carrying Asia.

"What the Hell," that was all that the other Issei could say when he saw who had just rescued him.

Kalawarner and Irina had at the same time helped the native Irina and Xenovia to free themselves from their opponents, before the completely surprised SHA and Sacred Gear users even fully knew how to react.

Issei, on the other hand, send out another Dragonshot in the direction of Kheron, who had stopped fighting Kiba´s double and instead turned his attention to them.

"Gaeriel, can you activate the portal?" he asked. The other came just running to them.

"Yes," she answered.

"Good, then let's get out here," he said... as it formed itself in the air before them. "Come with us," he said to Irina´s double, who was still completely shocked by what was just happening - and by this person who looked exactly like Issei.

A second later - after they all had quickly moved through the portal - they were back in the home-dimension of the Guardians, in front of the same large complex where they had been training for two weeks.

"Where are we?" `Xenovia´ asked confused.

"At a safe Haven," Gaeriel answered. "We will explain everything to you. But first, let's get inside. Asia, would you please help Issei´s double."

She didn´t needed to be told and had in fact already been moving to do that as the Fallen Angel had told her. She raised her hand, activated her Sacred Gear and after a few moments the wound disappeared. The energy coming from the Longinus Spear seemed to have stalled the reaction a bit, but it had worked.

"Twilight Healing," Xenovia commented. "Don´t tell me you are Asia Argento?"

"I am, but not the one you are thinking about," she said quietly, looking at the two Issei´s and Irina´s.

"We have other things to worry about right now," Raynare stated. "For example, what to do about those two groups of lunatics in your world."

"Our world, you mean...?" the second `Issei´ asked.

But as soon as the entered the entrance hall, they were faced with an even greater surprise. They had expected to meet some of the other Guardians from the other teams, or maybe some of their leaders.

Instead before them was standing a large group... consisting of yet a third Issei and Irina, another Raynare, two Rias Gremorys and Sona Sitri´s with several peerage members, of that several were here twice and several other people. They could also see two Xenovias and Kibas. Than meant also three of him present. Beside that they could also see Sirzechs Lucifer, Serafall and Azazel standing under the group.

What the hell is going on here?

At the side of the hall, they noticed Darien and next to him was Murayama.

"And I thought this situation could not get any more insane," the Issei they had just brought along from his homeworld stated.

"You," the new Issei, who they didn´t know yet, suddenly hissed, as he saw one of their group. Several of the others were also looking angry or even reaching to their weapons.

But surprisingly, it was not Raynare, Kalawarner or even one of the counterparts they had taken along, who caused this reaction. It was Gaeriel.

"By your reaction, I guess you have met another version of me?" she questioned. "And the meeting didn't exactly go well?"

"You can say that," `Issei´ responded grimly.

"I apologize for all my counterpart might have done to you," she said. "But I assure you, I won´t do the same."

"I can guarantee you, Gaeriel is a good friend and has always been trustworthy," Issei told them. "Whatever one of her other selves did, she is not the same."

He saw that his double and the others seem to have calmed down. He asked himself what this other Gaeriel might have done - especially since his counterparts version of Raynare was standing right next to him and he didn´t seem to mind at all.

"What is this anyway. Were you already looking to replace us? The mission was not **that** dangerous," Raynare commented sarcastically.

"It is nice to know that I am just as snarky in this world as in ours, right Issei-kun," her double remarked. "Kalawarner, it´s good to see you again," she greeted the counterpart of her old friend, "and good to know that you are alive in this world."

"Yea... sure," the other Fallen Angel replied a bit insecure.

"This isn´t a joke," Darien spoke up. "These people here came travelling from one of the other realities, the future of that universe. There is a lot you should talk with them about."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Somewhere `far away´_

In yet another universe... that had nothing to do with the events so far - things in the town of Kuoh were going on as usual. The human population was living their lives, not aware at all that their town was actually being controlled by Devils. Like they didn´t know about the other supernatural beings either.

Here, in this moment, a unsuspiciously looking man was standing on a sidewalk close to the park and watching a certain place - that happened to be a comic and video-shop.

Nobody would have known that this man was actually a supernatural being. But not a Devil, but something else... something related but different. A sort of creature that had no been seen in this world for centuries and even longer in many other realities.

He saw that his target had just left the shop. This target was one, quite regular - not to say average - looking girl, a human girl... a girl with the name:

"Rias," her `friend´ who had closely followed her, just called out her name as she had left the building.

"I told you Akeno, leave me alone," she said irritated.

This Rias, was quite different from nearly all of her dimensional counterparts. Instead of red, her hair was brown. Her figure was different - or, to say it plainly, her breasts were so small that she barely had any to speak of. She was wearing glasses. And the most glaring difference -she was human. But at a closer look, her features were clearly the ones of the Devil Rias Gremory.

This was also the reason that a certain supernatural being was currently watching her, from an unsuspecting distance. Something that would have seriously creeped her out, if she had known about it.

"Now, what is with you today Rias?" this dimension´s version of Akeno Himejima - who was obviously getting on her nerves - asked her. In opposite to the girl next to her, she was nearly the same as in most other worlds, a Fallen Angel hybrid.

"Is it because you haven´t gotten this dvd you wanted?" she questioned. "Or is it maybe because Issei-kun wasn´t paying attention to you?" she teasingly said the name of the guy Rias - no, actually both of them - had a crush on.

"Akeno... I-I told you to shut up," Rias called out angrily.

The man who had been watching them both, followed them walking down the street... and then took another direction. As soon as he had reached an empty alley, he formed a magic-circle and transported himself out of the town.

 **xxx**

He reappeared in an unpopulated area. As soon as he was alone, he dropped his human appearance.

Two demonic looking bat-like wings materalized on his back, very similar to the ones of a Devil. But only that. Two small horns had appeared on the sides of his forehead and his fingelnails had become long and sharp like talons.

Despite not actually being a member of their race, he was looking like the picture of a Devil out of literature, quite ironic. Or more likely, it was no wonder. Since, if asked, this being would consider himself to be a `true´ Devil... and the ones who were currently carrying the name to be imposters.

The creature formed another magic-circle, one for communication.

"Yes?" A voice was to hear.

"Lord Pazuzu," the `man´ greeted the being on the other end.

"Ah, Heeron, your report?" he asked.

"As suspected, the so called Three Factions are indeed weakened in this world, compared to a few centuries ago - or compared to most other realities that were considered as possible targets," the man stated. "But this is countered by the existence of several magic and supernatural guilds and also free magicians under the humans, who form a great factor of power."

"I see, who would have thought that our most powerful opponent in this universe would be the humans?" the being named Pazuzu said somewhat amused. "Your final verdict?" he asked.

"The defense of this world as a whole is still strong. Beside that, it would be hard to truly concentrate on our main targets. While they themselves are weaker as in other realities, there is a great risk of the factions of this world forming an alliance once more. As a whole my verdict is that there are more promising targets out there," Heeron stated.

"Good. I came to the same conclusion," Lord Pazuzu replied. "What about the anomalies you have reported?"

"I just come back from observing subject X-02. There is no doubt. The subject being called Rias Greymore, from the MacGreymore family, is human. But otherwise identical with the Devil Rias Gremory."

"As expected. I guess we know that reason for that by now, right? It is kind of fascinating what these creatures are willing to do, when they think it serves their own end, isn´t it?" Pazuzu remarked.

"Should I eliminate her, My Lord? While she might not be a member of our degenerated offshot in this world, we both know that she should have been. And it should be quite easy," Heeron offered.

"But she isn´t alone, isn´t she? Didn´t the report say that she was under the protection of a strong mage? What was his name again?"

"Issei Hyoudou, My Lord, a magician and Sacred Gear user."

"Then let it be. It wouldn´t be worth the effort of the risk to yourself," Pazuzu stated. "When you have finished your observation return to our base. As you said, there are more fitting targets out there."

* * *

 **The reality with the human Rias at the end of the chapter was offered to me by Hellsender and the entire concept of that world is based on his own ideas.**

 **Beside that, the last part was also introducing a new major enemy, who will play an important role in the following story-arcs. If you pay close attention, the existence of this opponent was already hinted in Crocel´s story from chapter 15.**

 **xxx**

 **Pazuzu in the real world mythology, is a assyrian/babylonian Demon. He is often assoziated with storm and drought. (He is also the Demon from `The Exorcist´.)  
**

 **xxx**

 **The chapter title is based on the fact that there are three Isseis appearing in it, who meet up in the end.**


	21. Chapter 21: A short break

**Chapter 21  
**

Their meeting had started a bit different as most people, who knew the situation, would have imagined it...

with Ravel literally tackling and throwing her arms around him.

"Issei, I am so happy to see you again," she called out.

"Well, technically it seems I was here the entire time, as it looks like," Issei pointed out, giving a look to his counterpart.

"Yes, but he is not the same Issei... and he has his own Ravel, as you see," she replied, smiling. "By the way, my parents have given their agreement. That means we can be together. Actually, they sounded quite enthusiastic about the idea of me being with the Red Dragon Emperor." She grinned. "Even if I will be only one of many."

Next came Murayama, who was a bit more reluctant, but then draw him into a hug as well.

"It is good to see that you are back," she said. "And? Was your mission a success?"

"To be honest, it was a complete disaster," he replied. "We were outnumbered. The reason we came back here is because we were... well, running for our lives. That is also why we have brought them with us."

The four Exorcists in question had said nothing so far... and were looking quite uneasy. No wonder. After all, they were surrounded by a group that consisted not only of exact doubles of themselves, but also to a great part of Devils, Fallen Angels and even creatures they had not even heard of. Not to mention that one of Issei´s doppelgangers had just been proposed to by a Devil.

"There is no need to be afraid of us," Darien addressed them. "Nobody here will harm you. Azazel and the Maou Lucifer will tell you the same thing."

"Azazel? Sirzechs Lucifer? the Exorcist Issei said, recognizing them. "Who are you?" he asked Darien.

"That question is a bit complicated to answer. We will explain everything to you. For now, you should just know, I am in charge of this base," he told them. "You are a member of the Green Lantern Corps," he was looking at Silar.

"Yes. I was accidently sent into the same universe your group here was scouting, along with the creatures you call the SHA," she responded.

"I see. We have heard about the incident, but we didn´t know what happened to you," Darien told her. "You better come with me. We will contact your superiors and we will inform them about the situation." He turned to the Issei, Raynare and Irina and the others who came from the future timeline.

"And you should get acquainted with your other selves now," he said to them with a look of their Issei´s Guardian team, "- tell them everything you told us."

A moment later, he, the alien Silar and Odin - who had come back from the Asgard of Issei´s world, as he had heard about what had happened in Kuoh as the new group arrived - disappeared.

The others did what Darien had suggested.

But the first thing they did was giving their Exorcist counterparts a brief explanation about the multiple universes and about `who´ they were.

"Hold on for a second, I remember now. I know you as well," Exorcist Issei said, as he looked at Raynare. "Your the girl who had asked me out. Yuuma, wasn´t it? But you looked at bit different back then. And you certainly had different clothes," he added, his eyes wandering over Raynare´s revealing leather outfit.

"You like what you see?" she asked him. "By the way, what had happened then?" Raynare wanted to know. "You are still human as I see?... and given my plans were to kill you? " she suggested. "Has someone resurrected you? Or did you kill **me** instead in your world... after a fierce duel in the sundown, that we two had?" she nearly made it sound as if the idea were somehow romantic.

"What? No. Nothing like that happened," he responded. "I just turned you down and left. I sensed that you were a Fallen Angel and thought dating you was not a good idea. A short time later you ambushed me and tried to kill me. But I thought you off, until the Devils suddenly arrived a few minutes later and you retreated. I never saw you again afterwards."

"Wait... you - you mean you had actually turned me down? **Me?** " Raynare stared at him outraged.

"Ahm, really, you had just suspected that he had killed your other self and you didn´t seem that bothered by it," Irina remarked. "But you find out that he didn´t want to go out with you and you act as if it is the worst thing in the world?" she asked incredulous.

"Hmm, if he had killed me, defending himself, it would be understandable. But this... I am a Fallen Angel. He should have been fallen to his knees at the mere chance to be with me," she said in a clearly exaggerated tone. It was obvious to them that she wasn´t completely serious. "He should be overwhelmed by the idea that I would even look at him. He... Augh!" she suddenly cried out, as Irina had suddenly slapped her over the head.

"Why did you do that?" she asked irritated.

"You told me that, whenever you started to act like an arrogant bitch, I should do this. I am only doing what you want." Irina smiled at her `innocently´.

The others in the room couldn´t help themselves and started to laugh. Even the older Raynare from the parallel future started to fall in.

"It seems you have actually found a way to keep me under control Issei-kun," she said laughing.

After a few moments, the younger Raynare was starting to smile as well.

 **xxx**

Someone else who now greeted Issei and his returned team, was Kuroka.

"Issei-kun, how nice to finally meet the you," she greeted him. "I am Kuroka, Shirone´s older sister... And one of your lovers in our world," she added by laying forward and whispering into his ear.

He had, of course, heard about Koneko´s - or Shirone´s, as her birth name. By what he had first heard from Rias peerage, she was a crazy murderer. But after seeing the recordings from a few of the parallel realities and his own experiences, he always had his doubts there. He knew Devil servants didn´t need to be crazy to kill their masters, the opposite, in many cases.

And given that **both** Koneko´s here were now completely relaxed around her, she was clearly not a killer.

Kuroka was wearing her usual kimono, that was hanging nearly open around her upper body and with a complete show of her cleavage. And no visible bra.

Issei´s eyes were, being who he is, wandering to her boobs. Since he had been recruited by the Guardians, he had learned greater self control, instead of just blindly following his urges... and to actually think things through for the most part. But he was still Issei Hyoudou.

Kuroka, of course, noticed as well where his gaze had turned to.

"You can touch them if you want," she said, gripping her own breasts, lifting them up a little, so that they nearly burst out of her clothes and presenting them to him.

What had he just thought? No, he was taking it back... She definitely **was** a killer.

 **xxx**

 _A short time later_

"So Rizevim Lucifer? Vali´s grandfather? He is the leader of Khaos Brigade?" Issei murmured, after hearing about the events that happened in their world.

"Well, technically it is still Ophis right now," Rias Gremory´s newest double responded, "but she is more of a figurehead for their actions. Even in this time."

"And he is planning to release an invincible monster that could destroy the world?" Irina asked.

"Yes," `future´ Issei confirmed.

"This has to be the being Crocel had mentioned," Raynare commented. "The one he was planning to control."

"That is quite sure," Gaeriel said. "Trihexa. I have heard about it before. A monster created by Ahriman, to serve as his manifestation in our worlds, after the last one vanished."

"Does that mean this creature also exists in our world?" the Exorcist/Holy Sword-weilder version of Issei asked, asked.

"That is very likely," Gaeriel replied. "Since our worlds are all so close to each other historically."

They all had heard the story that they're - as they heard, time-travelling - counterparts had told them. War, terror, destruction, the attacks of Khaos Brigade and then Trihexa and the Dark Order themselves, it was all what could happen in their own future as well.

"Ahriman... " Issei said the word. The force that was standing behind the Lords and the Dark Order. He had heard about it a few times while he was here. But it had mostly been talked about like a distant threat - just like the Lords for the most part. And now he heard that he had actually manifested himself in a world very similar to his own. It was a frightening thought. "... He - the Dark Order and their Agents," he murmured.

"Yes, shortly after Trihexa, they were beginning to appear everywhere," `Sona´ from the future timeline stated. "Aside from beings actually working for the Dark Order, it was also people who were - well, possessed. Countless people died alone through them. But they were not the only ones."

"Beings like Loki or Kokabiel formed a pact with them," future Rias told them. "Even - even some Devils were working for the Dark Order," she said a bit hesitatedly, remembering her own role, that was all but graceful.

"They formed a group called the Four Horsemen. They were running attacks and spreading, even more, terror everywhere, until we managed to stop them," future Raynare explained. "But in the end, they were only a symptom of the true threat."

"It was stopped in the end," future Issei told them, "and Ahriman drew back from our world. But it was hardly because of us..."

"Our world returned to normal, more or less," future Sona resumed. "But what was left of the Three Factions and the entire Supernatural World were even more weakened. To that came that during the battles, the existence of the Supernatural had been revealed to the humans. Many of them blamed all of us for the destruction."

"It is not only that Sona," the future version of Rias said. "Think about it. We have taken over some of their cities - places they had built- and declared them `our territory´, without even telling them. We have taken members of their race and turned them into ours for our own gain, also often without even asking or when they were in a desperate situation when they couldn´t say no... and then demanded from them that they serve us, and threaten to hunt them down and kill them if they refuse. Fallen Angels, in turn, targeted and killed humans if they possessed a Sacred Gear, while we `just´ transformed and enslaved them. Some of us had even kidnapped and tormented them for sport. And the rest of us never made any real effort to stop them.

We acted as if their world belonged to us and they had no say in it. And now it came all back to us, when they had kicked us out of our reality. In some sense, we got exactly what we deserved."

All of them were looking stunned at what they had just heard her saying.

"And you are sure that you are truly Rias Gremory?" the present version of Raynare asked her sarcastically.

"Believe me, even I can learn. After the metaphorical and practical ultimate ass-kicking your counterpart and some others gave me back then... and the things that happened afterwards. Trust me, I know how it is when someone treats you as if you are below them." She told them that with an expression that was nearly frightening... at least to her younger self. "You should know one thing, I have learned to hate the person I have been," she said, giving a quick sharp look to her younger counterpart.

After this, they had begun to talk with each other about their own lives as well. Issei - all three of him - had to admit what they heard was quite interesting... and in some cases shocking.

 **xxx**

"So do I get this right? Raynare, Irina, Asia, Xenovia, Rias Gremory, Akeno, Koneko, Koneko´s older sister, Ravel, one of Vali´s teammates and a few other girls I don´t know anything about?" Issei exclaimed. "Wow, you are truly the Harem King I always wanted to be."

His counterpart only grinned at him.

"By what I have seen, you are not doing so bad yourself. Your relationship with Raynare-chan is going far better than mine had been in the beginning So much is clear," he said. "And then you have Asia, Irina and Gaeriel... and now Ravel, as it looks."

"Not to mention what me and Issei did last night," Kalawarner stated suggestively.

"You and Kala? Now that is a surprise," Raynare´s counterpart commented. "Or when I think about it, not so much. Her breast-size is quite your thing, isn´t it Issei-kun?"

"You say it," he replied happily.

"Has my other self ever told you how sorry I am about killing you?"

"Yes, many times," his own Raynare said sharply.

"Good."

"Hold up! Does that mean you have slept with every single member of the group for this expedition?" Murayama suddenly questioned. "That means with all female members of our team, except Xenovia and me?"

"Yes," Issei said smiling. "What shall I say? I am a teenaged boy. But Xenovia is Kiba´s girlfriend after all."

"Well, does that mean I will be your next target?" she asked, crossing her arms.

" **I** will be next, human," Ravel declared. "Besides that, who said that he even likes you?"

"He certainly does. Otherwise, he wouldn´t have been peeking on me so often in school," Murayama scoffed.

"Oh, he `likes´ everything that had legs and especially a pair of boobs," Future Raynare pointed out. "But he only loves a few of us, right Rias?" she said with a side-look at her version of the redheaded Devil and a grin.

`Rias´ only showed an unreadable expression in response to her words.

The four Exorcist counterparts of Issei, Irina, Xenovia, and Kiba were just listening slackjawed. `Issei´ could barely believe what kind of a life his two doubles had. Okay, he admitted he certainly had his kinky sides, but this two...

"They are both complete perverts," he exclaimed.

His three comrades were similar shocked. Secretly, however, their Irina, standing next to him, was also fantasizing about the two Issei´s - who were obviously far more perverted than their own - would do with her, given the chance.

 **xxx**

"If you want to, you can also do it with me Issei." the Xenovia from the parallel future spoke up, addressing the Guardian Issei.

"Xenovia!" the Irina from the same world, standing next to her, said loud.

"What? We are all technically the same persons, right? So he is still Issei. And since the `me´ of this world is with Kiba, I wanted to give him a chance to try me out as well. To see how it feels doing it with me."

" **Xenovia!** " all three Irina´s shouted this time.

"I mean, when we are all the same, it wouldn´t be cheating, right? We could, for example, try it with two Issei´s at once. That would be interesting, don´t you think? Or maybe he with two Raynare´s or Rias or maybe even with two Irina´s and then..."

" **Xenovia!** " all the girls around shouted now outraged... even the other two Xenovias.

"Well, maybe we should at least keep the idea in mind," the future version of Akeno spoke up, grinning. "Having two Issei-kuns have their way with me at the same time would surely be something completely different."

" **Akeno!** " most of the girls shouted now instead.

"Or maybe we could double-team one of them. What do you think, younger me? I promise you, Issei-kun knows how to treat a lady like us. Oh imagine, seeing myself in pain and pleasure," she purred and smiled wickedly at her other self.

They all saw that the younger Akeno was actually blushing deeply... and it took a lot to cause her of all people to blush.

"That is truly enough Akeno," the older Rias said. The others noticed that she was red in the face as well.

 **xxx**

"Well, your doubles are maybe the ones who have several women Issei at once, but the girls are the ones who are all too willing to go along with it, right?" Kiba´s counterpart pointed out, "and they actually seem to be quite happy with it."

"Very right Kiba," Issei said.

"Why are you calling me Kiba?" the blonde haired boy questioned. "My name is Isaiah."

Issei was confused for a moment.

"The name Kiba Yuuto was actually given to me by Buchou, after what happened to me in the Holy Sword Project," the Kiba from the Gremory peerage - the one from this time - informed him. The still remaining anger was clear to him for everyone around.

"And you became a Devil," his Exorcist counterpart stated.

"Yes, Rias Gremory saved my life by transforming me. And after what happened I certainly didn´t want anything to do with the Church anymore," he said grimly.

"So you joined a group that can be **less** trusted?" his double responded.

"Rias isn´t like most Devils," Kiba said. "She is one of the few who actually treats her servants well and with respect."

"Before or after she tricked them into serving her in the first place?" Isaiah asked him sarcastically.

"Tell him," the older Rias said to her younger counterpart.

"What?" the younger one called out.

"Tell him the exact circumstances how he came to serve you. It has taken me far too long to come clean myself... about many things."

"What is she talking about Buchou?" Present Kiba asked her.

Rias gritted her teeth. She knew she would have some explaining to do and she had to thank her other self for that fact. She could only hope that Yuuto would understand why she had acted that way back then. If she had known that Valper and his henchmen would kill everyone... but she didn´t and in the end, she had waited too long.

 **xxx**

"You know? I agree with you Issei," the Xenovia from the Exorcist group said. "These girls seem to be just as perverted as your doubles, especially the ones who claim to be from the future. Maybe it is a side-effect of being turned into a Devil."

"But not all of them are Devils," their Irina reminded her. "One of my doubles is even an Angel."

"She must have become corrupted," `Xenovia´ speculated. "The only question is why she hadn´t fallen yet."

"Maybe you two have just been closet perverts from the beginning," Akeno suggested smirking.

"Oh yes, they truly are," Future Akeno said. "You should see the things their older counterparts are doing with Issei-kun. And how they are always screaming for him when he is doing them."

"No, it´s not... that," `Irina´ stammered. At the same time, however, she was trying to push down fantasies about Issei doing the same things with her,

Xenovia next to her was blushing deeply as well.

"Of course not," Akeno countered sweetly.

"I think that is enough," Issei, the one from the Guardian group, stated. His voice was suddenly dead serious. "It was nice getting to know each other. But we all still have a great problem to take care of. I don´t know what these SHA are planning, but by all what I have heard about them, it can´t be good."

His Exorcist counterpart nodded.

"I hate to admit it, but we had no chance," he stated. "We were not only badly outnumbered, I also had the feeling that the few of them who were actually fighting us were not even serious. If you hadn´t come, we would have been dead."

"We have also not shown everything we can in this fight," present day Issei admitted. "But you are right, there was just too many. And we don´t even know much about these guys."

"Well, we might have never heard about the SHA, but we have met and fought the Hero Faction," Future Issei spoke up. "We know them and can help you prepare for them."

"We might even be able to help some of you to develop your powers somewhat further," Future Raynare said. "At least for a few of you. After all, we are basically the same as you, with more experience and extra powers we had picked up on the way."

"You want to help us train?" Irina asked.

"Not only that," she replied. "I have been thinking about it for some time now and I think it might be possible for us to share some of our powers with you. I am thinking in first line of me, Issei and Rias here."

"Wouldn't that make you weaker?" present Rias questioned.

"Not necessarily," she replied. "If we simply transfer some energy to you, our own should just replenish itself after a short time. And certain aspects of our power, we should be able to share with you, without actually loosing anything ourselves. At least as long as we get something in return. Issei-kun," she turned to the Issei from her world, "I am thinking here about some of the energy I had absorbed from you and Ddraig, as I was bodiless. Or a bit of the flesh you had received from Great Red to heal you. Or the magical connection me and Rias share with you."

Future Issei nodded.

"I also sense some pretty unique powers in mine and Asia´s counterparts. I see what you mean," he said. "If we do this right, we might all turn out stronger than we have been before. That doesn´t mean, however, that we shouldn´t also try to train in the usual way."

"Train? Sharing Powers? Don´t you all forget about something? We have no time," Present Issei pointed out. "The SHA and these `Hero Faction´ of the Khaos Brigade are still in their world." He pointed to his Exorcist counterpart and the others. "And while we are standing here, they are for sure already working on whatever they are planning."

"You know Issei, I think this is where I can calm you down," Gaeriel told him. "The time-flow between the universe, you should know, doesn´s necessarily have to be completely parallel. Actually, it is in fact quite independent from each other... to a degree at least... as the presence of our `visitors´ here should demonstrate. It should be possible for us to stay here for at least a few days and then travel back to the other universe at the same point in time when we have left it."

"That is possible?" Xenovia asked stunned.

"As long as we don´t change events that had already happened from the P.o.V of our own worlds, yes," she answered.

"Cool," that was all Xenovia said to that.

"By the way, the SHA and their allies... does any of you have an idea what their plans might be?" Issei questioned, looking from Gaeriel to his Exorcist double and his group and back.

"This Kheron and Cao Cao had told us that they are planning to bring the human race to the place they think it deserves... and free them from the influence of the Supernaturals," Exorcist Issei stated.

A few of the others - especially the ones from the future timeline - were looking a bit insecure at his words, some even a bit ashamed. Just like the older Rias had said, they knew all too well that their races treatment of humans in the past was nothing to be proud of.

"That probably means they plan to go against the Supernatural World, especially the Three Factions," Gaeriel speculated.

"But they are still only a handfull of people, no matter how powerful," present day Sona stated. "How could they hope to achieve that?"

"By revealing the existence of the Supernatural to the humans and turn them agaisnt us," Future Sona pointed out. "After the appearance of Ahriman, that was more or less what happened in our future."

"Not that this would take much," Future Raynare commented sarcastically. "Like `Rias-chan´ here said, the way we have treated them for the most part, we shouldn´t be surprised."

"That might be." Present day Raynare frowned. "But I think it changes very little for us right now. We might know what they are intending, but we don´t know how."

"Right, all what we can truly do, is returning to that world and trying to stop them," present Issei confirmed.

Suddenly they all sensed another presence manifesting itself on the planet close to them, an incredibly powerful presence. Moments later the figure of a young girl appeared in the room before them.

"Ophis," several of them called out.

"I see you are back," Future Issei greeted her. "Ahm, this means... are you the Ophis that came with us or the one of this time?" he asked.

"I am both," she replied. "I have merged with my counterpart from this time period," she stated. "That means I now know about the events of both realities and I am of course also back to my full power."

"Ahm well, that is good," Future Issei replied a bit unsure. "What are you planning to do now?" he wanted to know.

"I will of course still follow my goal to find a way to remove Great Red from my home in the Dimensional Void," she stated.

'Of course', they thought. Issei and the others weren´t sure if they liked that thought. But this was Ophis, they would hardly be in any position to change her mind,

Ophis emotionless look wandered from one of them to the other.

"But I admit that there are other threats out there that are more important," she added a moment later. Her voice sounded far less emotionless than it was usual for her, nearly with a hint of intimidation. "I don´t want this future I have seen to repeat itself either."

This surprised most of them... except the ones of them who came from the future timeline and knew what they were dealing with. But they all knew, all that could scare her of all people even the slightest, was more than worrisome.

"But Issei Hyoudou, you impress me now even more as you already did before," she stated, "both versions of you. I will keep an eye on you and your comrades." With those words, she vanished once again.

"Well, I am not sure if I should be happy about this," Issei said.

"Believe me, I know what you mean," Future Issei commented.

"And you issei you want to help us as well?" Exorcist Issei asked.

"Yes, we can start to train together if you want. If there isn´t anything else?" their future counterpart replied.

"Actually, there is one thing," Rias - the one from the present - said. "I have a request. I have been thinking about this for a while now. Issei, I want to join your team."

"What?" Issei said in surprise.

"I know we have not always been getting along... okay I have been a real pain for you, with my attempts to recruit you or with my family trying to blackmail you," she corrected herself.

"You can say that," he responded.

"But please give me a chance. You can need any help you can get right now. I promise you won´t regret this," she asked him. "And if I get out of line, you can always have Irina or Xenovia beat me up as well, right?" she said with a side-glance at Raynare, who only rolled her eyes.

"If you want to join them, I will as well," present Akeno spoke up.

"And I as well," Kiba said. "I will not leave you alone Buchou... even if you owe me a few explanations." This was not his only motivation for wanting to join Issei´s group. It would actually make it much easier to see Xenovia regulary.

Rias however gulped.

"Thank you... but I am not sure if you will still be as eager to follow me when you know everything," she admitted.

"Have you not forgotten anything," Sona stated sternly. "What about your position in Kuoh? You can not just leave everything behind."

"Normally you would be right Sona," she replied. "But you oversee... I have actually a `perfect´ replacement for the position at hand," she said, looking at her completely surprised older counterpart.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The evening of the next day_

They were walking together through the streets of the futuristic version of London, where the Guardian HQ was located close by - four humans, one Fallen Angel and one young Devil. The little group was strolling through the town of the 27th century, trying to get a look at everything.

They were nobody else than Issei, Raynare, Irina, Asia, Murayama and Ravel. Like Gaeriel had said, they had a few days before they would have to return. So they used the chance to take a closer look at the place. Days that they mostly used to prepare themselves... mostly. They had once again spent an entire day training in the facilities of the Guardian HQ, this time together with their future counterparts.

Their counterparts of the Exorcist group had decided to stay back at the mansion for today. But they too had said they were interested in seeing the town. Of course, a city of the far future is not something you see everyday, even for people like them.

With the exception of Ravel, they had all been in this world before. But so far they had only actually visited the town once before, during their last trip to this world.

Right now, however, they were just spending some time for themselves. Ironically, the Issei, Raynare, Irina and Akeno from the future timeline had told them that they had also spent some time in the last days exploring the town.

In the background behind them was the Big Ben tower, that had been, as they had heard, completely restored about a century ago and was looking subtlely different than in their's, however only one of the many differences they noticed.

"Do - do you really think that is a good idea?" Irina asked the others. "I mean, Gaeriel said we had a few days, sure. But shouldn´t we better use all of that time to prepare ourselves?"

"You know perfectly well, we all have already pushed ourselves to our limit," Murayama pointed out. "Not to mention Future Raynare´s idea to share their powers with you. We would only strain ourselves, but not making any progress if we tried."

Of course, Murayama was also eager for the chance to finally actually see one of the parallel worlds she had heard about in detail and even more a future world like this - especially since she had been left out from the last mission.

"Since you have so much experience fighting other schoolgirls with wooden sticks," Ravel remarked sarcastically.

Murayama glared at her for a short moment.

"I am practicing Kendo," she pressed out irritated, "thank you very much... little bitch," she murmured under her breath

"You know she is right Devil girl," Raynare interrupted them. "We pushed ourselves as far as we could right now. Tomorrow we will then try what our counterparts had offered. Then we will spend some time getting used to whatever powers they plan to give us... And the day afterwards... we will return and deal with those lunatics once and for all."

 **xxx**

They were just standing in front of a futuristic version of a cinema, where a movie was being shown they had never heard of before. It was actually a `historical´ film, that played during the so called Cyberdroid Crisis in the first half of the 21st century of this Earth. Before they had been declared full citizens, around 2159, the early Androids and AI´s had been trying to free themselves from the control of the government and the corrupted company that were creating them - that meant about 700 years `ago´.

It was actually a romance story about a man who is working for the police forces and who finds out that the woman he had met and he has fallen in love with, is actually an Android and was working for an AI resistance movement. Okay, finding out that your girlfriend isn´t human was definitely something Issei could perfectly relate to.

As Issei had been told during his time here, it was actually secret intervention from the Guardians, that had helped to keep a conflict from breaking out, while at the same time, the Lords and some of their agents had been trying to provoke the parties involved into an open war. It was one of many events from the history of their organization he had heard about during his first two weeks in this world. Back then, the existence of the Guardians and their enemies had not yet been known to the wide public. The movie mentioned their involvement only on the side. Still, he found it interesting and decided to invite his girls... and Murayama of course... to watch it.

 **xxx**

"Issei-kun, say, what do you think about Rias offer?" Irina asked him.

"It is a bit surprising," he admitted. "But like she said, we can use any help we can get. And we have been working well with her before, right?"

"As much as this Devil get on my nerves sometimes, I have to agree," Raynare stated.

"Issei, I want to ask you something," Irina said. "I want to spend some time with you, just you and me." The noticed the eyes of the others having turned to her.

"Look, it is not that I dislike you," she said to them." I actually care about you. I think we are going along great... for being a harem and all... But. It - it is not that I want to have Issei-kun just for myself, but I would like to at least for a few hours."

"Are you asking him out for a date?" Murayama questioned.

"Yes - Yes I do," she replied. "So can we...?"

"Of course Irina," Issei answered. "If you want to, you and I can spend the rest of the evening together. After we have watched the movie together of course."

"Okay, she can have you for this evening," Raynare stated. "But tomorrow, after our training ends, you will have another date with me. Don´t worry, I won´t even kill you this time." She grinned. "Unless of course, you have developed a fetish for it and actually want me to. But then I would need someone at hand to bring you back."

"Ray-Raynare, how can you say something like that? Asia called out.

"Don´t worry. He knows I am only joking. He knows I love him, right Issei-kun?" She took one step closer to him and kissed him.

"I know, but I still hate it when you say it like that. Your sense of humor is sometimes simply evil my dear," Issei said.

"It was a horrible thing to say, Raynare-sama," Asia repeated.

"Issei can always punish me later for being bad," the Fallen Angel said playfully. "Would you like to help?"

Asia blushed.

"I guess you will want to go to a date too?" Issei asked her.

"Y-yes," she replied.

"Good, then I will spend the first part of tomorrow's evening with Raynare and the second with you. Okay?"

"Yes."

"I want a date as well," Ravel now said firmly.

"You can have your turn after we return from this mission," Irina exclaimed. "That means... if that is okay with you Issei?" she asked him.

"Of course," he grinned. "You know, I would never refuse a date with a cute girl... especially if it is one of you."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _One other of the many alternate realities... a Dark World - Kyoto, Japan_

A large transport jet was landing in front of the giant sinister looking palace, that was standing in the center of the city, that would in another world have been one of the cultural hearts of Japan.

The town also played an important role in the history of this world. But the most glaring difference to most other realities was, the inhabitants of this town weren´t human. They also weren´t Fallen Angels or Devils either. They were part of another race, similar, but quite different... and far older than the creatures generally known as the Devils.

The transport had just landed. It was a mix out of modern technology, augmented with magic.

The locks of the vehicle opened... and a line of armed guards stepped outside, leading a group of shackled prisoners, slaves.

The prisoners, members of the species that was in many other realities known as `Devils´... their guards consisted of Fallen Angels and a number of human Mages and Bounty Hunters.

At the gates of the large palace-like estate, they were greeted by two heavily armed figures. They were both members of the demonic race that were ruling this town... and this part of the world.

"I see you have brought the Halfbloods his Majesty had requested," one of them said.

"As Lord Dagon has ordered," the leader of the Fallen Angel group replied, trying to hide his distaste about all this. He was Baraquiel, one of the leaders of the Grigori. He knew what was going to happen here and he didn´t like it at all. But he had orders.

"Good, bring them inside," the guard said.

The point where their history diverged so drastically from most others, was during the time of the Great War. But the actual roots of the events went far further back, during the beginning of the known history of the Underworld.

What very few people knew... eons ago the Underworld was being ruled by another race of Ancient Demons - a race that, in this world, had returned and taken back that had once belonged to them.

 **xxxxxxx**

In the beginning, the Realm known as the Underworld was being populated by the Ancient Demons, who were often said to be descended from the Oldest Ones and ultimately from the Darkness itself. There had also been other old races, like the Angels of Heaven, born from the Light and from God, who opposed them.

It was like that in the beginning, but soon things became more complex.

The Archangel Lucifer made and attempt to become equal or even greater than God, by forging a pact with the Forces of Darkness and after starting a war in Heaven itself, were banished from their realm. So the Angel race itself became first tainted and the first Fallen appeared.

Lucifer had been the leader of the `Satans´, a Heavenly Accuser, who tested other creatures in the name of God, their faith and their convictions and their resistance to sin. Besides his brother Michael, he was the oldest and most powerful of the Angels.

He did his work faithfully, until the day he discovered the other dimensions and realities of the Multiverse... and he realized that his creator, who he had thought was all powerful, was in fact only a manifestation of an even greater force. And even more, he found out that there were beings in the cosmos, like Ophis, who actually surpassed his God.

It was something he wouldn´t accept. So he researched, explored, all for an attempt to actually reach and summon this higher force - the true form of God, like he called it. But in the end he no longer cared if it was truly the Light of God, that he contacted... or the Darkness... and he was corrupted and consumed by the forces he had unleashed.

At the same time, the human race had developed on Earth and spread over the planet. From all races God had created so far, they had the hardest access to supernatural powers and energies and were so often weaker than the others. But they were also the most independent and had the most free will. That awoke the interest of many of the supernatural born species... Angels and Demons alike.

While many humans searched God and so followed the one or the other religion, others instead dealt with the Demons and many formed pacts with them for power.

It however also came to relations of a completely different kind. Over time many humans and Demons had intercourse with each other. Some even came into actual relationships and quite often produced offspring. One of the earliest and most known examples was the infamous Lilith - who later became the progenitor of the modern Devil race - a human who made a demonic pact and was as a result transformed into a demonic being.

Over a few centuries, these crossbreeds were becoming more and more and mixing into the population of the Underworld. At the same time, however, they were mostly considered what would later be called `2nd class citizens´. The positions of power were only be held by the old Demons, while their part- human offspring were mostly servants and laborers.

But at the same time, the Demon Lords were relying more and more on these servants, who often came from the lines of these half bloods and on humans and other creature they had recruited. With other words, they had become soft, lazy and corrupt.

Until finally it came to an uprising.

Lilith, who had risen to one of the leaders and the spokeswoman of the half-bloods, formed an alliance with Lucifer and his exiled army and together they waged war against the Demons and took over the Underworld. These events repeated themselves across several parallel realities in similar details.

The surviving Demons, being faced with total destruction, fled from their world into the Dimensional Void and were not seen again.

The half bloods, together with Lucifer´s forces, meanwhile cemented their hold over the realm they had just conquered and build up a new society. They also took a new name and were calling themselves from that point on with the more modern term Devils.

Lucifer - whose Angel wings had been lost through his enormous exposure to dark powers and replaced with demonic ones and was barely recognizable as an Angel now - became one of the new rulers. His former angelic title of Satan was fused the titles Maou and `Devil King´.

Soon the new rulers saw themselves as nobility and did not longer want to remember that they were not the original rulers of the Underworld... and that they weren´t the original Demons. They just started to pretend that it had always been theirs... and after a few more centuries, all but the oldest ones had actually forgotten that it had ever been different.

 **xxx**

The surviving Demons, however, had encountered Ophis when they set foot in the dimensional void, who demanded them to leave her home and after hearing their situation and that they couldn´t return, had decided to send them to another, empty, dimension. So landed Demons from various different parallel realities in a so far empty world and started to rebuild their civilization... and they never forgot.

The Demons realized their earlier mistakes and decided to completely reform their own society, to once again concentrate and the things that made them what they were. Things like compassion, tolerance for failure and weakness were being banned. They would never be weak again.

They as well gave their race a new name... the Erebos Demons, the Children of the Dark... and they swore eternal revenge on their enemies - the pretenders - who had cast them out.

They cultivated both, their power and their hatred and build up new armies and resources, until they were even stronger than they had been before.

As, after some more centuries, they were ready to leave the world they had been exiled to and return to eradicate their old enemies, they discovered that their old home realities had by now splintered into hundreds of new timelines and universes... and in all of them, the Underworld was being ruled by the Devils. So they found out that their self-given task to destroy them all was far harder than they had expected.

But they also found something else... opportunities. As they scouted the various worlds, they found out that in many of them the Devils were at war, not only with Heaven, but also with a new breed of Fallen Angels... the Great War as they called it.

The Erebos Demons chose one of this worlds, one that seemed promising, and decided to intervene in this war. In a ironic reversal of history, they contacted at the time hard pressed Fallen Angels - who had the lowest population of the Three Factions of the war - and offered an Alliance. It was an offer they could hardly refuse.

Within just a few weeks the war was turned around completely in their favor. The new Alliance conquered not only the Underworld, but also parts of the Earth. The Forces of Heaven were being pushed back... and now it was the Devils who faced complete extinction, by an enemy who knew absolutely no mercy, especially if it came to them.

And in another ironic twist, it was their enemies - the Fallen Angels - who held their new allies back and saved the Devils from being completely annihilated. Whatever animosities they had with them, it could not even compare to the unlimited hatred the Erebos felt for their, as they called it - degenerated off-shots.

The Demons however knew that they still had some uses for the Fallen Angels and decided to stay their hands... at least for the moment. But for many of the conquered Devils, life became soon worse than death.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Today_

As they walked through the corridors of the building two slave-girls, dressed in maid outfits, opened the doors to the main hall. They were both young looking and very attractive and their clothes were cut to show this off. One had brown hair and the other deep red. Just like the prisoners, they were half-blood Demons... or, like they were calling themselves, Devils.

Both of the girls were frightened to the bones, but they did everything they could to not show it. They knew what was about to happen to their kind that was just being brought inside. They had already witnessed this two times.

In other realities, they would have been Princesses of the Gremory and the Bael Clan. But here they were nothing. Their names were Rias and Venelana Gremory. The only reason they were allowed to be here - or even to live - was to take care of the tasks in the house and of the needs of their master, the governor of this town... and for his personal pleasure.

Of course, sexual relations to half-bloods of any sort were not exactly gladly seen. But they happened nonetheless.

Still, today a person was here who the two female Devils feared even more than their master.

The guards now led the group of prisoners through the hall and before the throne... the Fallen Angels bowed respectfully and the two Demons kneeled before the person sitting on it, Dagon - current Maou and Emperor of the Erebos Demons. Similar to the Devils, however, he was not the first bearer of this name, but one of his descendants. It was said that his bloodline went back to the legendary Old Ones themselves.

Standing next to him was the governor and the actual owner of this castle. But for the moment the Emperor was on a visit and had decided to make this place his temporary residence.

"Pazuzu has contacted us and informed us that he had eliminated another universe and a possible target," he informed his ruler.

"Has he? Well, I am sure he will explain the reasons for his decision for us in detail when he returns," Dagon replied casually. "There are many other possible worlds out there that can be chosen. Don´t worry about it. If our work here is a success, we will soon not to have to worry about `picking promising targets´ anymore. Our enemies will meet destruction **wherever** they are."

"My Lord, the new group of subjects that you had requested have arrived," one of the kneeling guards said to him.

"Baraqiel," he greeted the leader of the small group of Fallen, "It is good to see you again."

"Yes, Lord Dagon, I feel the same way," he replied. Despite what he said, he did not truly mean it.

Over time, many of the Fallen Angels came to see more and more that they were actually the Junior Partners in this alliance they had agreed to... and that their `allies´, given the circumstances, could just as easily turn against them, when against the other powers.

"Bring the Halfbloods in the center of the room... and then leave them," Dagon announced. "The ritual is about to begin."

This was only one of the other reasons why Baraquiel and many of the others of the Fallen came to distrust the Erebos, this deal Dagon had made with some sort of malicious alien creature a few weeks ago.

The frightened Devils, 13 altogether, were being left alone. But only for a few moments. Then something manifested itself in the room between them and their captors. It had the form of a bizarrely glowing mist of energy, that was slowly surrounding them. Then it began...

It happened in a matter of only a few seconds. The incorporeal glowing mass was, for a moment, taking a humanoid shape... and at the same time, the bodies of the assembled slaves started to dissolve in a horrible process. Their skin was drying out and falling apart. Their flesh was starting to burn and literally being ripped from their bodies, as at the same time their life energy was being sucked out of their bodies and being absorbed by the monster that had just manifested itself.

For a few moments, the entire room was filled with terrible screams. Then, seconds later, it was over. All that was left of the prisoners, were burned up blackened skeletons and ash.

Venelana and Rias had also been watching the entire process in complete horror. They also both knew, if it were not for the `fondness´ their master had for them - as much as they hated it - they would have probably also been sacrificed like that.

"It was a full success," Dagon, however, declared, as he saw that the glowing of the formless creature before him has intensified. "Our honored guest is satisfied... for the moment." He smiled.

"Thank you Baraqiel, that was everything," he addressed him and his team, who bowed quickly and were leaving the room.

One of the Fallen Angels, a dark-haired young woman, had a frown on her face and send a dark - barely visible - look back to the room and what she and the others had just witnessed here. Her name was Akeno Himejima and she was, in fact, Baraqiels daughter, together with a human woman... and she shared a similar mindset about all this as he did. After a short moment, she followed her father outside.

 **xxx**

A few minutes later, Dagon ordered the others out of the room as well and he was left alone... alone with only one other being.

"Lord Galid," he said, "have you been satisfied with the sacrifice for this day?"

"Yes my friend, I am," a bodiless voice answered him from the seemingly empty room.

Dagon remembered how he had discovered the being who had entered their dimension a few months ago... and especially as he had found out who exactly this creature was - and that he was willing to agree to a deal. He remembered how the being had told him how it had traveled between the stars and through different universes for many years... searching for a way to restore itself.

"But I need more," the creature said. "If I shall restore my old power I need more energy - more lives - far more."

"You will get them," Dagon declared. "I don´t care how many of these filthy Halfbloods I have to sacrifice. As long as you fulfill our agreement."

"You don´t have to worry," the formless being answered, "I remember my promise. And besides that, you know I can not do it without you. As soon as, with your help, I will take a new physical form - as soon as I am back to what I once have been - we will share this power. You and I will be one... and your enemies - our enemies - in all universes, will be destroyed."

* * *

 **Author notes: The same backstory for the Devils that I had already brought up in `Gods of Darkness´ and a new enemy, are here described in more detail.**

 **The mentioning of the `Old Ones´, is of course a reference to Lovecraft. Just as the name Dagon, which I have also based more on Lovecreaft´s ideas, than on the babylonian god with the same name.**

 **xxx**

 **The creature appearing at the end is the same one that the Guardians and the Green Lanterns had been looking for, across several dimensions, in the last chapters... who had now found new allies.  
**

 **xxx**

 **A short notice about the alternate version of Akeno. In this world the death of her mother, that led to the fallout with her father, never happened.**

 **In the normal world, the Himejina Clan are followers of the Shinto Religion (that might have been a great part in the motivation for killing Shuri). But since in that reality, the Demons and the Fallen Angels have conquered Japan, the Shinto Gods have gone into exile and the Fallen and Demons are in charge instead. So the Himejima aren´t Shintoists and Shuri wasn´t a Shrine Maiden.**

 **xxx**

 **The `Historical Event´ of the movie Issei and the others were watching, is actually a reference to the Anime `Bugglegum Crisis´, that plays in the 2030´s. The so called `Boomer´ Androids have actually the name Cyberdroids, but are in-universe mostly called by the slang term Boomers.**


	22. Chapter 22: Talk with yourself

**Chapter 22  
**

 _Guardian - Home Dimension... London_

Issei and Irina were currently sitting together inside a version of a cafe of this future world. This was their date that they had agreed to.

Tomorrow he would then meet with Raynare and Asia.

All in all, he had to say things were good, despite the situation they were all in.

In two days, they would return to the last universe and to battle, when they were ready. For the moment, however, he and his girls had some time for themselves.

They had found this cafe by some luck. It´s interior was designed in a mixed style of `modern´ and some `ancient´ elements. Ancient meant, in this case, like in the 21st century, where they both actually came from - their own present time.

It was kind of funny - especially seeing the details that the people of this century got wrong. Of course this was not their home universe. So they couldn´t be completely sure if these things were truly wrong... or if the 21st-century fashion had just been a bit different in this world as it had been in their own. But it was still fun.

 **xxx**

Issei admitted he had seen and learned about a lot of crazy stuff in the time he had spent in this dimension here. Besides the other two greater conflicts between the Guardians and the Dark Order in this universe, that involved entire Galaxies. Entire worlds that had been invaded by Vampires or Zombies and in a few cases overrun.

Civilizations of living Artificial Lifeforms - Androids, cyborg creatures, and intelligent living robots - some of which were older than mankind. One of them who had been at a civil war with each other for millions of years, until the two sides had to team up to defeat an ancient Chaos God, who was older than the universe and threatened to destroy it.

Genetic mutations that turned normal humans into powerful super-beings that in some cases even rivaled a Maou... and a few times even surpassed them.

Open and also secret Alien Invasions on Earth and on different planets... and and and...

... and of course, the possibility for a mortal being to grow into a Cosmic Entity, to `surpass the Gods´ - like some of the Guardians and their enemies have actually done it.

 **xxx**

Yes, he had heard of and done many on the first look bizarre things. This here on the other side was only a little fun, for both of them.

Irina was sitting smiling next to him. They had just been ordered Hamburgers for both of them and were listening to some songs that were being played. Some of them they knew, while others were completely unknown to them since they had never been written in their world. But it didn´t really matter. They both had fun.

Tomorrow he would spend the same time with Asia and then with Raynare.

This short good time, they all knew, would, however, end in two days, when they would return to the world of their last fight.

A song was beginning to play from the nostalgic looking `music-box´, standing in the corner of the room. He had been asking and knew that it was actually a highly advanced playing device, that was only made up to look like an old style player from the 20th century.

He had to grin as he heard the title of the song. It was named `Best Friend´ - from some ancient author, whose announcer on the tape said, had nearly been forgotten over time.

"What do you think?" he asked Irina. "This song is somehow really fitting for the two of us, right?"

She had to laugh a little.

"Sure it is Issei-kun. You know I am truly happy to be sitting here and spending some time with my `best friend´ once again. It is nearly like back when we were playing together as children...

... Except of course for the part where you are fucking mine, Raynare´s and Asia´s brains out," she whispered to him suggestively. "But of course I like that parts too."

He only grinned at her.

"Okay, okay," she said a bit flustered, "I like this parts **especially** much," she admitted blushing.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Guardian HQ, the next morning_

The present versions of Issei, Raynare, Asia, Rias and Akeno... and also Issei´s Exorcist double... we're standing in a line in front of their counterparts from the future timeline.

The other members of their teams were assembled in a circle around them.

Also standing close to them was Odin, who was so far watching the entire exchange.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _flashback_

A short time ago he and Issei had a short talk about Rias request to join the Guardians - or more specifically Issei´s and Gaeriel´s sub-group.

They knew that most of the more experienced members of their organization distrusted and disliked the Devils. For good reasons, as they both admitted. The attempt of Rias's brother and Serafall to blackmail them into allowing them to visit their base was only one of the latest of many examples.

Still Rias, in the last months, had turned out to be quite cooperative and honest with them so far. The great exception, of course, being her attempt to intentionally let Raynare kill him, to turn him into her servant.

Something that her older counterpart from the other timeline had actually succeeded, in as he had heard - besides others, equally or even more nasty things. And still his older self had forgiven her for everything and she was one of his lovers.

Rias and him... it was nearly a strange thought. If he was honest, he had always tried to keep a bit of a distance to her since that day, given the stance that most of the Guardians had regarding Devils... not to mention the fact that she had literally set him up to die. But if he could forgive Raynare, why not her?

But now, when she had actually offered to join his team?

"Darien and the other leaders have decided to give her and the others a chance," Odin had told him, "given that you and her group had been working together quite well in these last few months. And that she actually seems genuine in her offer," he stated. "Of course they won´t be completely trusted in the beginning... similar to like the Fallen Angels Kalawarner and Dohnaseek were. As you remember, they had only been taught ki-manipulation and some other basic techniques in the beginning, while you and Raynare actually got some more advanced training."

"Yes, I remember. So do they intend to have Rias and the others also be beaten up by a few humans?" Issei asked him sardonically.

Odin started to laugh.

"Maybe they will. I have not asked them about it... yet," he replied chuckling.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _flashback - end_

But now he was standing in front of his two counterparts, waiting, to begin with whatever sort of power-up, the oldest of the three Isseis had in mind.

"Are you ready?" the older Issei asked them.

"We are," Issei answered.

"What exactly do you want to do now?" Rias questioned their older counterparts a bit nervously.

"To put it simply, we will share our powers with each other," Future Issei stated. "In our case Issei," he addressed his other self, "your friend Odin will assist us a little bit. There is something I am intending and that..."

"Is it dangerous?" Issei asked him.

"No. Not really. At least not with Odin being there with us. But it might be a bit... well, stressful, for both of us."

"I am not sure I like the sound of this," Issei responded.

"You will see. But now let us begin," he said to the others.

They, that meant the three Issei's - together with Odin - and the two Raynare´s, Rias and Akeno´s, separated from the rest of the group. Each one of them was following their older counterpart and was finally... `alone with themselves´.

 **xxx**

 _The 3 Issei´s  
_

The three Issei´s were looking at each other.

"So what exactly do you want to do to help us?" Present Issei asked his future counterpart.

"That is the question," his older self-answered. "First of I will, of course, try to use telepathy to transfer knowledge of some of my techniques into your minds. The others will probably do the same. That is the easy part," he commented. "But that is not everything. In the time since I had first activated the Boosted Gear, I have achieved an incredible level of power," he stated. "Much of it however, I had not reached through training of better control, it was given to me by others," he admitted. "I have for example received powers from Ophis... and from Great Red," he stated.

"Well, to be honest, in the case of Great Red, I have not simply been given power... the truth is, I have been dying. I had been poisoned with Samael´s blood. I guess you both had heard about him?"

The two other Issei´s nodded. They both knew about the cursed former Angel.

"I was technically already dead - again," he added with some sarcasm. "My body had been destroyed. But Great Red, he thought that I was still needed... and he brought me back. He restored my body... with his own flesh. Since then I am practically a hybrid between a Dragon, a Devil, and a human."

"That is the reason your aura feels so much more draconic than ours," Exorcist Issei concluded surprised.

"Yes," Future Issei replied. "And what I want is to share this flesh with you," he stated.

"What?" his two counterparts called out, nearly at the same time.

"Aeh moment moment - we don´t swing that way," Present Issei replied, "as you should know since you are - well - us."

"Neither do I," Future Issei called out, more than a bit irritated, "as **you** should see from my harem. I mean that literally of course. I want - with Odin´s help - to transfer some of Great Red´s cells from me to you and in turn replace them with your human ones.

It would only be a small part of my body and not affect my own power level. But for you - it **would** make you stronger. It would not be that much, but it would give **you** access to some draconic powers, in addition to the strength you already possess. You would technically be part Dragon. And it would also allow you to channel Ddraig´s power better through your bodies."

"I see," Present Issei replied. "But we would no longer be completely human," he stated. "But on the other side, if it makes us stronger."

"No, you wouldn´t be," he replied. "I guess this might mean more to you than it would to me. I haven´t been human anymore for a long time after all," Future Issei mentioned.

"Do it," Present Issei replied. "I have agreed to this job and I won´t let anyone else die in front of me again." He remembered what happened to Murayama and what could have happened to Asia if Gaeriel had not changed Raynare´s mind back then... and all the other time's someone he knew was in danger.

"I am sorry... but I must decline," their Exorcist counterpart told them. "I am human and I intend to stay it. I know this would be an advantage for the moment. But in the long run, it would undermine everything I want to reach. My goal is it to proof to everyone that humans are a race that can stand on its own and is worthy to be respected by the supernatural.

If I used part of a Dragon´s body to strengthen myself, it would only make me look like a hypocrite. Even having the Boosted Gear pushes it sometimes. But at least the Sacred Gears were actually designed for humans and I didn´t exactly have a choice as I have been given it. Besides that, I truly believe that humans can also by themselves become pretty powerful if they have the right kind of potential and training of course."

"I see," Future Issei said, "I understand. I will respect your choice."

"Believe me, if you want to train, this is exactly the right place," Present Issei commented. "Sadly we are still in a kind of hurry."

"By the way," Future Issei mentioned, "you know that you have another source of power inside you, beside the Boosted Gear and your skill?" he turned to his Exorcist counterpart.

"Yes, I sensed it as well," Present Issei said. "It is nearly like some kind of Spirit that is bounded to you."

"I know. I often draw strength from it. It is a strange story, but years ago I met an old man in a park. I told him about my dream to become a hero... and he gave me this." He took out a strange looking, card? "He said something that he called a `Heroic Spirit´, the Spirit of some long dead hero, was bounded to it and it would help me in the future. At first, I thought he was just some kind of weirdo. But later, as I became a Holy Sword wielder, I saw that it truly gave me some kind of extra power and I could feel the presence of the Spirit."

"Believe me, I have actually heard far stranger stories than that," Present Issei told him.

What neither of them knew: the `Old Man´ in question was actually Zelretch, who had just spotted a new `candidate´ for whatever his plans were.

"The same with me," Future Issei responded. "You know, I have also met an old guy in a park once. He had told me about the beauty of breasts and to always appreciate them."

"Yes, the same with me," Present Issei said.

"I guess that explains a lot about you two," their Exorcist counterpart remarked.

"Okay," Present Issei stated. "We might be perverts, but that doesn´t mean that we can´t be serious when we should be." He turned to Future Issei and Odin. "Can we begin with it?"

"In one moment," Future Issei replied. "There is also another ability that I and the others wanted to share with you. But this one I can only give to you," he said, looking at `Present´ Issei, not at their Exorcist self. "It involves you, Raynare... and Rias Gremory."

A minute later Future Issei activated his Boosted Gear and Odin his magic... and together they begann the process to transfer some of his cells from his body to his younger counterpart and back.

 **xxx**

 _Raynare and Raynare_

The Fallen Angel was thinking about all what she heard in the last few days. She knew it was very likely that her self in the last reality they had visited had killed the Asia of her world by taking the Twilight Healing. Just like she had originally planned it, if Gaeriel had not stopped her.

Just like the older version of her, who was here, had actually gone through with her plan. But in her case, Asia had been reincarnated as a Devil very quickly. For this other Asia however, there had probably been no way back to life.

She wasn´t quite sure how to feel about this. Over the last few months, she had come to see Asia - not only as another one of Issei´s lovers - but also as a close friend. The thought that she had been so easily willing to kill her - as if she had been nothing but a tool - just a few months ago, made her nearly sick.

Right now she was standing in front of the slightly older - and as she admitted far more powerful - version of herself.

"Finally, only you and me - or should I say me and myself?" Future Raynare declared smiling. "I have heard this Fallen Angel Gaeriel had convinced you to spare Asia?"

"Yes."

"Good. Then you avoided one of the things I regret most. I admit over time this small Nun became something like a friend to me," she stated.

"Same with me," she responded. "Actually, I admit she is one of my best friends by now."

"Irony of fate I would say," Future Raynare commented.

"Of course Gaeriel did have a second agenda with that and kept me in the dark until later. She truly is a manipulative bitch. But I guess we are not the one to talk here, right... me?"

The older Raynare chuckled a bit.

"I have not known the Gaeriel from our world well. In fact, I have only met her once. But believe me, by all what I have seen so far, yours is a giant improvement."

"Enough of the small talk. If I want to talk to myself, I can just do it in my room, looking into a mirror. What exactly to you want to do?" Raynare finally asked. "You said you want to help me to get stronger. So do it, instead of asking stupid questions"

"Just the reply I expected from me," Future Raynare grinned. "Okay. Let me explain. Aside from normal training - and you can, believe me, I did a lot of that - my new power mostly comes from two sources and I intend to share one of them with you."

"Only one?" Present Raynare questioned.

"I am talking about the power from Ddraig that I had absorbed during the months I had been bodiless and my soul bonded to Issei-kun´s. You should know, his energy has the nature to practically refill itself. This is also related to his ability to boost. So if I give you a certain amount of it, my own strength will just recover in the next one or two days. Yours, however, **will** grow."

"Sounds good," Present Raynare replied.

"The other source of power is a small spark of Ahriman´s presence, that was a side effect of my resurrection. You realize why it would be a bad idea to share this with you?" she asked rhetorically.

"Of course I want something in return. The Phoenix ability you have bounded to the Twilight Healing, you will share it with me," she requested. "Just like my Dragon power, the Phoenix Fire is able to regenerate itself. So if we both take a short recovery afterwards, neither of us will loose anything, but we will both win. Believe me, if we do this right, we will both come out stronger than we are now," Future Raynare explained.

"Great."

"There is however also something else you might find interesting," her older counterpart added. "But for the beginning, let me give you some of my knowledge."

The younger Raynare felt the mental powers of her other self-reaching out to her and her mind was flooded with knowledge - about parts of the training her counterpart had under Faust, about how to integrate the absorbed Dragon powers into her own and to properly use them and about some techniques she had developed. And also about a certain detail that involves her, Issei and a certain red haired Devil.

 **xxx**

 _Rias and Rias_

"Finally alone," Future Rias announced to her counterpart as they had reached some distance to the others. "So you are the me from this universe. Now, why don´t you tell me a few things about you?"

"What do you mean? We have already spoken to each other," Present Rias replied.

"Yes, but never alone," she responded. "And we both know that we always kept up a façade with others. Always acting nice." she said. "While in truth we are screwing with everyone around us, even our friends - especially our `friends´ actually. Always trying to take advantage of others for our own end. Like the time when I had allowed Issei to be killed... among many other things like that - and worse. You know what I am talking about, right?"

Present Rias grimaced for a short moment.

"Yes," she replied bitterly. "I do." Yes, she knew what the other `her´ was talking about. She also remembered some of the hard lessons she had learned in the last few months.

"You know, I have been talking with the others here about you," Future Rias stated. "By what I am heard, you are already different from the spoiled, selfish, corrupt Devil I myself have been in this time. To be honest, that is actually the only reason I am even considering to actually help you to get stronger."

"What in the world had happened to you?" the younger Rias asked irritated. "Why are you talking about yourself like this? What exactly is your problem?"

"What do you think?" she retorted. "I was doing what we always do. Taking advantage of everyone around us, while pretending to be their best friend. Until it all came back, blowing into my face... even `Mommy´ and `Daddy´ couldn´t protect me anymore from the consequences of the shit I have done... and I lost everything, my position, my status, my peerage - all through my own fault," she admitted.

"You know, if you **were** exactly like my old self, I would certainly consider just blowing you away and deal with everything else later," she said. "Not that it would matter much - one conniving Devil less," she shrugged with her shoulders. "Onii-chan would probably be devastated, I guess. But he would get over it. Your servants would probably be sad, cry a little and then realize that you never did anything for them in the first place and then move on. The same for your parents. They would then make Milicas their new heir, at least until they had fucked around enough to produce a new child to replace you."

"Shut up," Present Rias yelled. "You are a Satan-damned bitch. I get it, okay. You have fucked up your life and hate yourself now. And I had been on the same way until things changed. But that doesn´t mean you have to treat me like this because of it. I guaranty you one thing, I won´t end up like you did. So shut up."

"Good - good," Future Rias answered now smirking. "Maybe you have actually learned your lesson faster than I had. Of course, it is the question if you will back up your words with actions. But I guess we will just have to give you a chance, right?

Then let us begin," she said. Like Raynare did, she felt her own mental powers reaching out to her.

 **xxx**

 _Akeno and Akeno_

"What did you say?" Present Akeno asked her older self.

"I said I have nothing to give you," Future Akeno replied. "Except these words... stop acting like a **spoiled selfish brat** ," she declared.

"What do you... mean?" she asked nervously.

"You know exactly what I mean. I am not able to give you any more power, but I don´t need to. You already possess more. The ones you inherited from our father. You just refused to use them for your own petty reasons."

"Petty?" Present Akeno called out angrily. "How can you say that? You don´t know..." She could barely believe what her double had just said.

"Don´t be an idiot. I **am** you," Future Akeno replied. "Of course I know. I have gone through exactly the same shit like you. And I know how pathetic I have been," Future Akeno declared. "I lost my mother. She was taken from me by a bunch of murderers. Yes, that is terrible. Yes, that should have never happened. But then I decided to blame my father for something he had no control over."

"Baraquiel had left mother to die," Present Akeno shouted at her. "He did nothing to help her."

" **Are** you an idiot?" Future Akeno asked her. Her voice was cold like ice, showing absolutely no sympathy for her younger counterpart. "The ones who killed her were her own family. They had been intentionally waiting for a time Mother was alone at home," she explained.

"He should have been there," Present Akeno exclaimed. "He should have protected us."

"What are you? Four? Had your father to be around you **all the time** to protect you? You perfectly know that this is impossible. Even if he had been there at that time, the Himejima´s would have just waited for **another** chance to catch her alone."

"He had never helped me afterwards. He just left me alone," Present Akeno called out, now visibly distraught.

"You disappeared after the attack," older Akeno reminded her. "He didn´t even know where we were. He would have probably found us again and helped us, if we hadn´t run into Rias first," Future Akeno countered. "But not only that - **We** then decided to use this as an excuse to hate all the other Fallen Angels, even if they had nothing to do with what happened."

"It is only because of them,..." the younger Akeno said, though not really sounding as if she believed her own words. She materialized her wings, one Devil and one Fallen Angel wing. "These wings," she said, "- this damned wings - it is only because of this that they killed mother in the first place." She was sobbing now.

"Do you even realize that is exactly what her murderers would have said to justify themselves?" Older Akeno asked sharply. "She was involved with a Fallen Angel, so they **killed** her." She materialized her own wings and then transformed into her eight winged Fallen Angel form. During that her clothes also changed into a very revealing leather strap outfit, that rivaled Raynare´s and showed off her large breasts and her ass to the world.

This would have brought a smirk on the younger Akeno´s face, if it were not for the painful topic of their conversation.

"Do you really think **that** was a reason to slaughter your own family?" Future Akeno yelled angrily.

Her younger counterpart flinched painfully as she heard this words.

"They didn´t kill her because of the wings. They did it because they were a bunch of bigoted and self-righteous murderous assholes, who expected her to live her life only like they wanted her to do... and nothing else," she said.

"Funny, how you hate our father for not helping when he wasn´t even there, but you willingly serve Rias, who was threatening to leave you to die, if you didn´t accept conditions that were bordering to slavery - when she was standing **right in front** of you.

How was that? You couldn´t leave Devil territory. You couldn´t leave Rias side. The `deal´ she made with the Himejimas had turned you into a prisoner. She had practically made you a Servant long before you accepted the Evil Pieces, without even telling you... But Rias isn´t a Fallen Angel, so it is okay, right?

What? Did you think I would feel all sorry for you because you lost your mommy? I know better than anybody that it would be a waste.

You Akeno Himejima are a bigot and a hypocrite. I would know it. I am you after all. Why should I even consider helping someone like you?

Face it, you don´t hate Fallen Angels because they are somehow to blame for mother´s death or for what happened to you, you do it because they are an easy target for your anger. They are nothing but a convenient scapegoat, for a hurt little girl."

Akeno now cringed even more at this.

"But that isn´t even the real problem," Future Akeno continued. "No matter who is at fault for mother´s death or what happened to you, it doesn´t excuse you not using your full power **in battle** , just because of your own issues. Especially if the lives of your friends could depend on it. Do you want Rias, Koneko, Yuuto or maybe Issei, Asia, Irina or Xenovia to die, just because you refuse to use part of your powers?"

"No," Present Akeno admitted.

"Good. Then get your head out of your ass and start using them," her older self told her. "Look at me," she ordered. "This is what we are." She gestured to her black wings. "We are just as much a Fallen Angel, as we are a Devil or human. This won´t change, no matter how many Evil Pieces Rias puts inside you."

Akeno nodded. A second later she grinned.

"Wow. You have really put me through the wringer here," she finally commented with a sly smirk.

"What did you expect? We are a sado-masochist after all," Future Akeno replied. "And I knew that you are so stubborn that this was the only thing that would go through to you."

"I don´t hate them," Present Akeno stated meekly. "The Fallen Angels... Not **all** of them. In the last months, we have worked with some of them. We have even been living with them. Gaeriel, Raynare, Kalawarner, I cannot hate them. It is just... father - and what happened. You are right... I am just fucking stubborn."

"So it seems that there is still hope for you," Future Akeno replied. "Like I said, I can't simply hand you some extra powers, like Issei or Raynare. But at least I can give you the knowledge how to use this form here. If you are ready to accept it."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Rias_

"A mind link," Present Rias questioned.

"Well, that is a pretty simple way to call it," her older self stated. "It is a connection between all three of us. Ironically it began as I killed Raynare - or better said as I tried to - ultimately I did not much more than destroying a body, without actually ending her. She bounded her soul to Issei to survive. And later this damned curse from Loki connected Issei and me too," she explained.

"Well, but over time, we have actually learned to use it to our advantage. We are now able to share our power... to some degree at least. Sense each other's presence over great distances... and under certain conditions, we can even use each other's powers."

"And you want Issei, Raynare and me to become like that too?" Present Rias asked.

"Like I said, it has its advantages," her older counterpart replied. "You don´t have to agree. But we think we could copy it - create a similar connection for you. Well, maybe it doesn´t have to be between the same people.

It could be useful. Especially if you are out there on missions with Issei. This is your choice. But believe me, this connection had saved my life more than once...

... and it also saved a few things that have actual worth too," she said with some bitter sarcasm. "Well. Are you ready to learn something?" she asked.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Another Universe_

... In the world where Issei and his team had been only a short time before, their enemies were continuing with their plans.

The three SHA soldiers who had just undergone a procedure to change their entire genetic make-up, were now - inside the command center of their ship - standing in front of their Commander.

Next, to the chair, Kheron was sitting on, was their temporally ally Cao Cao standing.

The three soldiers gave their leader a salute - by raising their arms and moving their fist against their chest - and then materialized their new wings - Devil wings. They now also possessed the same demonic energy like real Devils. Technically they were Devils, at least genetically.

The only thing they had left out was the typical weakness to light and Holy Energy. This could have possibly also been replicated with some effort, but it went against the Dark Order´s and the SHA´s philosophy to intentionally create weaknesses.

"I see the process was a complete success," Kheron stated. "Good."

"Yes, a quite impressive transformation," Cao Cao stated. "Tell me, what exactly do you hope to achieve with this again?"

"I have already explained the plan to you," Kheron replied.

"Yes, but not every detail." Cao Cao admitted he was feigning a bit of ignorance here.

Of course, he and his crew knew the entire plan Kheron had proposed. But he was also testing his ally here a bit. It was not as if he was actually trusting this creature in any way.

The SHA might claim to be simply some advanced kind of human. But in a way, they were as alien as they could get. The way these three here were so ready to agree to sacrifice themselves for what they called `the cause´, only showed it.

Should Kheron be holding back details from him, however, this was a small way of gloating him into revealing more than he wanted. Of course, he didn´t actually expect the SHA commander to fall for it, but the attempt couldn´t hurt.

"As you wish," Kheron replied. "Our operation is now beginning," he said to the morphed soldiers in front of them. "Your target is the town of Kuoh that is secretly a stronghold for the race known as the Devils. Your orders are simple. Cause as much destruction as possible. Kill whoever crosses your path, be it human or Devil. And let yourself be **seen** doing it," he said.

"Our own probes will also record the events... and later it will be broadcasted over the entire planet. The existence of the Supernatural will with this be revealed to the humanity of this world," he continued.

"Then we will step in. We will stop your attack and kill you, along with all the real Devils in Kuoh. Afterwards we will stage more attacks. So long till the humans realize once and for all that the Supernatural races are real and a threat to them. Then we offer our assistance to the government and the Churches of this world to fight them. This will be the beginning of a war between the human race and the Supernatural on this planet," he explained.

"A war that the humans will win with our help. With our help, this humanity will then grow into the powerful race it was always meant to be."

And they will be ready to be formed into a worthy ally of the Dark Order in their struggle over the multiverse. But that, as far as it came to him, Cao Cao didn´t need to know. And if they didn´t prove themselves worthy, then destruction was their natural fate.

"You three have the duty to die for our cause," Kheron addressed the soldiers.

"Yes Commander," they answered without any real hesitation.

"I admit, this could actually work," Cao Cao commented, "if you pull this off right."

"Don´t worry, the arrogance and complicity of the Supernatural races will play right into our hands. They will never see it coming until it is too late. Of course, it will be necessary to sacrifice probably a few thousand humans. But they will be necessary sacrifices to a new world."

"As long as they serve to open the eyes of the people for the threat that is right among them," Cao Cao stated, "I agree."

"They will, we will make sure of that. Maybe you want to join the next attack to wipe out the Devils my friend, you are a hero after all," Kheron remarked.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Guardian - Home Dimension  
_

They were ready. For three days - at least in this dimension - they had been preparing themselves and now they would return. The evening had Issei of course spend with his girls.

His team was standing together with their Exorcist counterparts. But their group had now also grown by three people - Rias, Akeno and Kiba.

While it was originally only Rias, who had asked to join Issei´s team, the other two had requested to join as well - to back her up. They admitted some of the things Future Rias and the others had said to them, had shaken their trust in her a bit. But - besides being their Master - they still considered Rias a friend.

"Is Koneko not with you?" Issei had asked them.

"Koneko said she would have liked to join us," Kiba said, "but she..."

"The two Koneko´s and Kuroka wanted to find the Kuroka of our world and reunite them," Rias stated. "So I let her go with them. Koneko can join us later if she wants that. It is her decision."

"Rias?" Akeno questioned.

"I - as you probably know, I have been given a lot to think about during the last weeks. I want you to be my friends and teammates... and not my servants. If one of you wants to leave me, they are free to go. I would tell the Maou and Clan heads that you have my permission."

To their surprise, three more people joined them. It was the Issei, Raynare and Akeno from the future timeline.

"We will come with you as well," Future Issei said.

"You?" Irina asked surprised.

"We are quite powerful as you know... and we are the only ones of us who already have experience with the Hero Faction. So it only makes sense that a few of us come with you. Rias has already taken over your Rias´ place in Kuoh and the others are already beginning to plan the transfer of the rest of our people to your universe."

"We were actually meant to help with the organization as well," Future Akeno stated. "But we decided that for now, we should better give you a hand. We want to prevent the same thing to happen in this other universe, what happened in ours."

"A few of the others wanted to come as well," Future Raynare told them. "But there is still a lot of work to do with the evacuation of the rest of our people. Well, if we are completely honest, we just used this here as an excuse to escape the boring administration work," she joked.

Future Akeno giggled at her command.

"Then - if you are all ready – let's go," Gaeriel announced. She opened another portal and they returned to the universe where they had fled from a short time ago.

 **xxxxxxx**

They arrived once again, very close to the crashed spaceship.

As soon as they arrived, Issei saw something he didn´t like at all. Activity at the enemy base had definitely gone up. Nearly two dozen of these SHA warriors were now standing around the entrance of their ship.

And they noticed them nearly right after their arrival...

The battle had started less than a minute after they had materialized themselves in this world. The rest of the crew was now leaving the ship and charging in their direction, either running or flying through the air with super-powers.

All three Issei´s activated their Balance Breaker´s - that were all somewhat different, given the different development of their powers. While the Exorcist under them also draw his Holy Blade - like Irina and Xenovia, he was carrying one of the Excalibur fragments.

The two Raynare materialized their wings - the older one ten and the younger six. The same did Gaeriel, Kalawarner and the Akeno´s. The Irina´s, Kiba´s and Xenovia´s draw their swords.

Issei himself, however, materialized only a partial scale-armor around his arms... for the moment. But he also used his other main weapon.

This was only the second time he used the full potential of the Sword of Cronos in an actual battle. He watched how is morphed in his hand, from his usual appearance as a blade, into the form of a scythe.

Like he had been told, this weapon had been forged from the sichel that had once belonged to the God Cronos - the Lord of Time... and it showed in the powers it possessed.

He had actually become more powerful, Issei realized.

He activated the weapon... and instantly - in a circled of 30 meters around him - dozens of SHA warriors who had been attacking them stopped moving. They were frozen in time.

But not all of the enemies were affected. Some were simply too powerful to be stopped by the effect of the Scythe.

Two of them were Kheron and Cao Cao, who had now also joined the battle.

* * *

 **Authors notes: The statement about `living Artificial Intelligences´ is a reference to the Transformers.**


	23. Chapter 23: Another Battle

**For this chapter, the characters who were originally featuring this story, are simply addressed by their names. For example Issei, Irina, Raynare. The versions from the Gods of Darkness world are addressed as Future Issei, Future Raynare... and the third counterparts as Exorcist Issei, Exorcist Irina etc.**

* * *

 **Chapter 23**

The battle had begun.

Issei was holding a few of the opponents at bay by freezing them in time. This of course didn´t work with all of their opponents - either because their own powers were able to counter the effect of Issei´s power... or because they were simply too powerful - and wasn´t able to do this for very long. At least not yet.

He simply unleashed a large wave of energy all around him that blew the SHA soldiers from their feet, in the moment he released them from his powers. His teammates Irina, Xenovia, Kiba and Akeno took advantage of that, they charged and forced the downed enemies to draw back.

Two of the ones who were too powerful to be effected by Issei´s frozen-time bubble, were of course Kheiron and Cao Cao, the two enemy leaders. Both of them would never be stopped so easily - and they now had turned their attention on them.

After the last short clash with their troops, they didn´t seem all that surprised to see them again, with reinforcements this time. The very fact that there were more than one versions of the same person, was something that unsettled at least Cao Cao.

"Now there are already three versions of the Red Dragon Emperor," he stated. "One of them is now even a Devil. Multiple worlds... indeed. It would nearly be funny if it didn´t caused so much trouble for us," he commented.

"It seems my suspicions were true. This group must be agents of our enemies," Kheron responded. "No doubt they are here to interfere with our plans. They need to be taken out. This one," - he pointed to Issei - "... he is the same one who led the `rescue mission´ a few hours ago. And it seems he has a limited power over space and time."

In response, Cao Cao only grinned.

"You mean that he is our next major-target for the moment, right?" he replied. "Good." He materialized his Sacred Gear - the Spear of Longinus - and joined the battle.

 **xxx**

It were however not only Issei´s physical powers that had increased drastically. His mental ones had as well. His supernatural senses were literally sweeping the entire country, he could `see´ outbreaks of magical energy over thousands of miles distance.

"He sensed that this here was not the only place in Japan where Supernatural creatures were fighting, in fact he could feel that right now another clash was going on... and that was nowhere else than in his hometown.

It seemed the SHA and their allies had chosen Kuoh as their target. Yes, this would make sense, since it was the greatest Devil stronghold in the country. Or was this just coincidence and someone else just happen to attack the town right now? Unlikely.

"Raynare, Gaeriel, something it happening back in Kuoh," he called out. "Do you sense it? They are attacking the city."

"Yes I do," Raynare replied. "But I fear we have our own hands a bit full here," she remarked.

She, Rias and her two peerage members, Kalawarner, Issei´s and Irina´s Exorcist counterparts and the two Xenovias and Kiba´s counterpart Isaiah were being swarmed from all sides by SHA soldiers. Some of their opponents were not that far above skilled Exorcists or other specially trained humans, others however had strong and dangerous powers.

Future Raynare, Irina and Future Akeno were meanwhile being attacked by Cao Cao´s group of powerful Sacred Gear wielders... But this was not their only problem.

Kheron himself had joined the fight. The SHA leader now showed power, that at least rivalled an Ultimate Class being. He fired two energy blasts from his hands, that nearly hit Rias and Xenovia, who were barely able to dodge.

But the explosions as the attack hit the ground was still enough to throw them from their feet. Rias, to her luck, seemed to have gotten out of it with only a few scratched. But Akeno was left with visible injuries. Not bad enough to threaten her life - hopefully - but enough to take her out of the fight.

Future Raynare, who was still fighting the members of the Hero Factions, was using her own version of the Twilight Healing - a power copied from the energy still residing inside her, when her body had originally been destroyed - and healed Akeno´s injuries.

 **xxx**

Asia herself had ultimately decided to stay behind.

While she had taken serious lessons in self-defense and physical combat in the last few months, they all knew that she was not ready for an open battle of this scale yet. At least not without someone guarding her. But this was something they couldn´t pull any real effort against this many powerful enemies. And since the two Raynare´s possessed Twilight Healing as well, they had agreed that it was safer this way. Even if none of them truly liked it to leave her behind like this.

As they were fighting, the area around them was quickly being turned into a blazing inferno. Stray blasts from both sides left large smoking craters on the ground and the forest around them had been set on fire. Alone the crashed space-ship was being protected by it´s energy shields.

One of the SHA soldiers run forward, his hands were glowing with deadly energy. No doubt he was trying to blast them. But before he had the chance, Rias hit him with her Power of Destruction and he was annihilated.

Yes - right now, none of them could deny that leaving Asia out of this massacre here... had probably been a good idea. She wasn´t ready for this... not yet.

 **xxx**

Kheron however was no longer paying much attention to them and he instead looked at Future Issei and his group.

He admitted he had a bad feeling about this. He quickly realized that he shouldn´t have only worried about the Red Dragon Emperor with the time-manipulation power, but even more about this three.

 **xxx**

At this moment Cao Cao himself appeared before Issei, with his Spear drawn and ready to strike. Issei instantly raised his own weapon to defend himself.

But it never came to this. Before the leader of the Hero Faction had fully reached him and the Spear and the Sword of Cronos connected, Future Issei - in his full Scale Armor - interfered and blocked the attack. His own sword Ascalon was now clashing with the Divine Spear.

"I am sorry Cao Cao, but I am the Issei Hyoudou you will have to deal with," he stated.

"If you say so," he responded, turning his attention to Future Issei and readjusting his weapon, trying to find an opening.

The two opponents traded a few blows... the holy blade Ascalon, together with the power of the future-sekiryuutei, countering most of the Spears destructive power.

During the short struggle, Issei could see some small changes going through his older counterpart´s armor and modify his power.

He recognized this as the `Knight Form´ of the technique called Triana - a technique that allowed him to imitate the powers of his Evil Piece - Knight, Rook or Bishop Modus for his Scale Armor - that his older self had shown them during their latest three day training. In this case he was fighting with the power of a Devil Knight.

 **xxx**

At the same time, Future Akeno was being attacked by Cao Cao´s Second in Command Georg, Irina was struggling with Jeanne, a descendant of Jeanne D´Arc... and Future Raynare was facing Siegfried and Herakles.

 **xxx**

"A Devil wielding a Holy Sword. Now, that is a surprise," Cao Cao pointed out, after he had just countered another strike." But not nearly as much as seeing not only two, but three identical Red Dragon Emperors together. I am curious what kind of universe you come from and what had possessed you to become a Devil. If it was even by choice of course, knowing the Devils and their ways."

The last comment was quite close to the truth for Future Issei. More than he would have been comfortable with a short time ago. But he showed no visible reaction. It didn´t matter. He was long over it, he thought to himself. He had forgiven them all, Rias, Raynare, Akeno, Kiba and Koneko.

"But I think you have made a mistake challenging me," Cao Cao told him.

"You mean because your True Longinus works most effectively against Devils?" Future Issei responded confidently. "But I fear I have to disappoint you. You should know by now I have fought another version of you before. I know how your weapon works and your tricks," he told him. "You go to Kuoh and take care of whatever these SHA are planning." He turned to his two younger counterparts. "I will deal with **him** ," he said, looking at his opponent.

Issei nodded. He exchanged a look with Exorcist-Issei, who nodded as well.

"I am sorry, but I think I can´t allow that," Kheron, who suddenly appeared, interrupted them. "You," he looked at Present Issei, "you and your group are members of the Guardians, aren´t you?"

"And if we are?"

"It doesn´t even really matter," the SHA leader responded. "If you stand in the way of my plans for this world, you will die." He formed a powerful blast of energy in his hands and fired it at Issei... who concentrated his own powers to stop the attack.

Issei would have tried to use the Sword of Cronos again to just stop time and with it the blast. But it was pretty clear that Kheron was just too powerful to be effected by it. So instead he countered the attack in the regular way and channeled his own powers.

Issei now let his full Scale Armor around him and put all his energy into shielding himself. He stopped Kherons attack and was left with nothing but a few scorch marks. But it had cost him at least some of his strength.

"You can count on that we stand in the way of whatever you are planning," he told him confidently.

"I see," Kheron replied. His hands were suddenly turning into metal and forming themselves into long - razor-sharp - claws... ready to rip his opponent´s body open. "Then we need to take care of you all quickly," he said.

But his swing was being blocked by the blade of Issei´s weapon. The power of the Sword of Cronos however, in fact, didn´t effect in at all.

It was the nature of his own power. Kheron was a molecular shape-shifter. He was able to control the structure of his body and change it at will. Like right now. To that came a certain level of energy manipulation and at least rudimentary telepathic abilities.

Issei´s sword however manipulated time by influencing the movements of particles - in case of the frozen time, by reducing it to zero.

Something that Kheron´s powers - by their very nature - were the perfect counter for, since he could control the molecules of his own form. Even if he hadn´t also possessed more than enough raw power to resist the effect. His powers of course were not purely supernatural, but - like with all SHA- had their roots in manipulations in his gen-code and cellular structure during the time of his creation.

 **xxx**

"Now Ddraig, let us begin," Future Issei said.

 **[Of course Partner.]** the future-version of Ddraig answered.

Suddenly another change went through Future Issei´s armor. The scales now turned into a darker, deep red, color.

The other two Issei´s recognized this as well - Crimson Cardinal - a transformation their counterpart had achieved after he mastered the Juggernaut Drive in his world.

From this point on, Cao Cao didn´t actually have a chance anymore. Future Issei´s power - and speed - had increased drastically. Before he even fully realized it, he had already landed a first blow with Ascalon, that broke through his opponent´s defense and send him flying backwards. If it had not been for his Spear, Cao Cao would have been dead.

Even as he activated his own Balance Breaker and used the various special abilities of his weapon, it didn´t really help him.

Future Issei, in this form, was able to shield himself or counter every single one of them. He was just too strong.

And Issei knew, that this wasn´t even all of his counterpart´s power. He had one even higher level. The one that allowed him to use power from Ophis. But so far he didn´t seem to need it.

Finally, Cao Cao used the strongest attack from his Balance Breaker - `General Treasure´ - and unleashed a powerful assault of powerful energy at his opponent. But even that Future Issei was able to stop with his powers.

"Go now," he called out to the others.

He decided to end this quickly and use his full power... and gave his Raynare and Akeno a mental signal to do the same and go all out as well.

They both nodded.

Future Raynare was suddenly surrounded by a mixture of flames and something that looked like solid dark shadows. She was now completely dominating her opponents... who were all incredible powerful Sacred Gear users and genetically modified super-humans in their own right. Light-spears were appearing, seemingly out of thin air, all around the Hero Faction members and SHA troopers, while at the same time she was firing light beams at them from her hands.

Future Akeno´s eight-winged form was now completely surrounded by holy-lightning, that she was sending out at her enemies. Georg was the only one of her opponents who was able to hold himself `somewhat´ against her. But he too was quickly getting overwhelmed.

Meanwhile Irina, was still holding herself against Jeanne. While her opponent was a more experienced sword-wielder, she had the advantage of both, the ki-control techniques they had learned from the Guardians and magical abilities she had gained from the soul-shards of Merlin, that were now bounded to Xenovia and her.

 **xxx**

Meanwhile with Raynare, she had been able to struck down one of the SHA soldiers who she, Rias, Akeno, Xenovia and Kiba and their Exorcist counterparts were fighting.

Her future counterpart, Akeno´s counterpart, and Irina meanwhile were still busy with the Sacred Gear users.

As she looked around, she saw that like herself, the Exorcist versions of Issei and Irina had managed to free themselves from their opponents for a moment.

"I will take care of this," Exorcist Issei said. "This is my world after all."

"Good, we will transport you to Kuoh," Gaeriel told him, with Raynare standing next to her.

"We will come with you too," Exorcist Irina said, the rest of her team consisting of their Xenovia and Isajah standing next to her.

"And you can count us in as well," the Xenovia and Kiba from Gaeriel´s own team said. They had just managed to force back their own opponents with the help of their versions of Akeno and Rias.

Not far away from them Kalawarner just managed to defeat another one of the enemy soldiers - a woman who had been attacking her with her bare hands, that had morphed into razor-sharp claws - and cut him down with her light-spears.

But she was wounded herself in return. Only for Raynare to use her improved Twilight Healing, to let the injuries disappear moments later.

"Go," Present day Issei shouted to them. He was still locked in a fight with the SHA leader Kheron. "We can take care of things here by ourselves. But you have to stop the attack and save the Kuoh of this world."

"No," Kheron yelled angrily. "I won´t let you..." But before he came to end this sentence, he was hit by a flying slash of Cronos blade that Issei send to him.

"Now," he told them, "before he and the rest of them recover."

"Okay, thank you Issei," Gaeriel said to him.

A magic-circle appeared beneath her and others and one moment later, they were gone.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Kuoh (of this universe)_

They reappeared a few hundred miles away, right at the border of the town Kuoh.

What they saw as they looked into the direction of the city, was more or less what they had feared that they would see. One of the outer districts of the town was under attack.

They could make out several houses that were burning. The streets in that area were covered with wrecked cars... and the dead bodies of dozens of citizens who had been murdered so far, men women and children.

They could also see the attackers... three figures who were flying over the place... with bat-like wings.

This three had however already been confronted by the two Devil groups who were actually living in this town. That meant Rias and Sona and their peerages. Most of the regular members of Sona´s group were present, Tsubaki, Saji and the others.

Rias was with Akeno and Koneko, like in the world Raynare and Gaeriel knew. But instead of Kiba, they saw another young man in their group they didn´t know, who had obviously taken his place as the Knight.

"Devils?" Exorcist-Issei asked surprised.

"I don´t believe these are true Devils," Gaeriel stated. "The SHA have a method that allows them to replicate the DNA of other species. They have probably transformed some of their own men."

"So they want to frame the Devils for this," Isajah stated. "And they certainly have no problem about being seen." He gestured to the three Pseudo-Devils, who were openly fighting and causing destruction wherever they turned to... when they were not busy fighting members of Rias and Sona´s peerages.

Gaeriel nodded.

"They were probably planning to devastate the entire town, possibly reveal the existence of the Supernatural to the humans doing it and maybe killing Rias and Sona as well," she stated. "All in all a good way to throw this world into chaos with little resources. The good thing is that we obviously found them early and they so far seemed to have only managed to cause destruction in a small part of the town."

One of the transformed SHA was in the moment being confronted by the native Tsubaki and Saji from the Sitri group. Another was being targeted by their Akeno and Rias. But so far they were trying to avoid a direct confrontation and cause even more damage in the town instead.

So far the two group's didn´t seem to have noticed them, since they were still outside of the town and were hiding their energies.

"We need to stop them," Irina´s counterpart said.

"Yes. But be careful. Remember, these versions of Rias and Sona don´t know us. If we just jump in, they might think we are enemies as well," Gaeriel told her.

"Okay, I remember," she replied. "But the best way to convince them that we are friends... it to take on the attackers, right?" She, however, added a moment later.

"Right," Gaeriel replied.

"Good." The Holy Sword Wielders of both groups draw their weapons.

"Wait a moment," Guardian Xenovia said to her counterpart and the others. "Merlin, would you please?"

`Of course,´ a mental voice answered inside her mind.

She held her blade in the direction of the fighting place in the town... and a moment later a powerful magical spell was unleashed over the combatants of both sides... that left the three attackers, as well as the real Devils, for a few moments confused and disoriented.

"Very good Xenovia. It seems you have actually learned to think before you start to fight," Raynare commented.

"That was unnecessary, Raynare," Exorcist Issei stated, while they were already moving forward to attack. He was already activating his Balance Breaker once again. If it hadn´t been for Xenovia´s/Merlin´s magic, both sides would have for sure noticed them by now.

"Yes, you should not talk to your comrade like this," Exorcist Irina said. `Even if you are right.´ she thought silently.

"Oh don´t worry about it. They know I am only making fun," Raynare replied. "Right?"

"I still don´t appreciate it that you are teasing my girlfriend," Kiba commented. "But we have other things to take care of right now."

In the next moment Exorcist-Issei fired a Dragonshot, that he had been charging until now... that hit and annihilated one of the Pseudo-Devils.

Raynare and Gaeriel send a barrage of light-spears at the other two. One of them was able to evade the attack, barely. But the other, still disoriented, was pierced through his chest and stomach and died moments later.

So far so good.

The local Devil, as they had finally fully regained their senses, looked quite surprised as they saw who had just helped them.

"Fallen Angels... and Holy Sword wielders... together?" Tsubaki questioned surprised.

"What are you doing here?" Rias demanded. "This is Devil territory. I warn you, if you try anything against us, we will..." She couldn´t help to be intimidated by the presence of so many Holy Swords... but in this moment she fully realized that some of the people who had just arrived, were looking... absolutely identical.

"Way to thank us for helping you," Exorcist Xenovia commented.

"We thank you for your help against these attackers... whoever you are," Sona told them a bit more diplomatically. "But you have to admit, your presence here is quite unusual."

"We are here to assist you against these terrorists," Gaeriel explained plain and simple. "We have found out about what they were planning. They wanted to cause chaos in this town and then blame the Devil Faction for it. Of course this is the short version, but this is hardly the time to explain everything in detail."

"Wait a second, I recognize you," Rias said, looking at Raynare. "You are a member of that Fallen Angel group that had been here a few months ago. The one that had sacrificed that Nun."

It was just like she had expected, Raynare thought. The Asia of this world was, as it seemed, dead. She winced internally.

"This were old stories," she forced herself to reply, "... and by the way, if this is `You're territory´, you have never just asked me to just leave it, have you?" This was a bit of a shot into the blue. She speculated on that this Rias here would have acted the same way as the ones she knew.

Going by the glare this Rias send to her in this moment, however, she had been spot on.

"We have more important things to take care of," Sona said, turning to the last transformed SHA, who was flying before them in the air.

They were all preparing themselves to take out the last enemy. Whatever questions there were between their two groups, could be cleared later.

But before they had the chance, a powerful blast of electrical energy - resembling lightning - came down from the sky... and seemingly randomly, hit into the line of the Devils. Yura, one of Sona´s Rooks, was directly hit - along with a few other peerage members who had received damage. She, however... They saw her body burn up and a second later, there was nothing left than a few charred remains and bones. Tsubasa Yura - at least the version of this world - was dead.

 **xxx**

Above them in the sky, another group of enemies was appearing, who had been hiding until now... and were now levitating above the town.

In the center of these group was the dark haired young woman, who had been part of the team, `eliminating´ intruders earlier and to her right, the mysterious creature known as Phantom, in his favorite host body - with four more warriors floating in the air by supernatural powers behind them.

"There are more of them," Gaeriel said. "We have been careless. It had been unlikely that they had planned this attack with only three people in mind."

"Yura," Sona called out in grieve and pure anger as she saw what had just happened to one of her servants, to a friend.

"Who are you?" she shouted at the newcomers.

"My name is Kara, lieutenant of the SHA Empire. We are here to `assist´ the three you have already met in their mission," the woman told them. "Better said, we are here to make sure that you die in the fight... along with them."

"What?" Exorcist Irina called out.

"These are your own people you are talking about," Exorcist Issei exclaimed.

"They had willingly volunteered this mission, knowing that it would result in their death," she responded. "Their part was to cause as much destruction in the town as possible in the role of the Devils... and then we could move in to `save´ this place from them and `sadly´ kill them in the process - to make it look more real," she stated coldly, "... together with the real Devils of course."

"So this Fallen Angel was telling the truth. This was all a set-up," the native Rias called out. "What are you trying to achieve?"

"We have recorded everything, you should know. In a few hours the human media would have gotten life-scenes of Devils attacking and killing humans... along with hundreds of live witnesses. And then a few other attacks like that could have happened around the world. Your existence would have been revealed to the human race and of course their public would have hated you. Then we would have seen how `strong´ your race is when you are dealing with a humanity that actually knows about your existence... instead of hiding under them like the vermin's you are," she said with much venom.

"What? You are completely Insane," Native Rias shouted angrily.

"But it seems your appearance has thrown everything off," the woman calling herself Kara said to Gaeriel, Raynare and the others, not truly reacting to the outcall of the Devil. "It is truly sad," she remarked sarcastically.

"You have no chance," Gaeriel told her. "We are simply too many for you." At her word, Exorcist-Issei and his team were taking position next to her, with Raynare on the other side. The two Devil peerages were going into fighting position as well. They might not completely trust their `help´, but it was pretty clear who was their true enemy.

"You may be right," Kara admitted. "If our goal were simply to defeat you," she added. "Destroy the town," she told the rest of her team. "Cause as much damage as you can."

One of the warriors next to her... and also the last one disguised as a Devil, were gathering energy, to direct it down to the city. Another one had drawn a sword of his own and was ready to face his opponents.

But before they had the chance to unleash their attack, Exorcist-Issei had already cut one of them apart. And Sona had stopped the other with her ice-magic, while her two Knight were already moving to finish him off.

The SHA named Kara herself channeled a powerful electrical energy, that was flowing through her entire body, and fired it at Raynare, who blocked the attack with her own power.

The magic circle she had formed in front of her had stopped the assault, the Fallen Angel saw. But the attack had been dangerous. This girl was good, Raynare thought. Before her training, a few months back, she would have been slaughtered by this opponent.

But now she was simply better than her... far better.

 **xxxxxxx**

Kheron knew one thing. They were loosing. The truth was, they had no chance from the beginning.

The first group of dimensional doubles who had suddenly appeared and saved their counterparts a few hours ago (he had no way to know that for them, it were actually a few days) was already dangerous. But this new third group had a power that was now completely overwhelming.

He had just watched as the third Red Dragon Emperor, who was clearly the strongest of the three versions of him, just beat Cao Cao down as if he was nothing - and was now blasting away another couple of SHA soldiers. His power surpassed now even that of most Gods. It felt practically `infinite´.

The only beings he knew of, who were even more powerful, were both the Lords of the Dark Order and the leaders of the Guardians.

What was even worse, the Issei Hyoudou who was native in this universe and a few of his allies had just left the battlefield a few minutes ago... to stop their attack on the town Kuoh. And there was nothing he could do about it. Their troops here were getting beaten easily.

 **xxx**

At this moment Future Raynare found an opening in the defense of one of her opponents... and pierced a light-spear right through Siegfried´s body. The, on the first look ordinary, spear, had actually enough compressed energy to destroy at least a middle sized city. A second later she saw his face become expressionless and his dying body sinking to the ground.

Heracles and the other members of their team were enraged as they saw their comrade falling. But there was nothing they could do. They were still losing.

 **xxx**

Kheron could only glare in helpless rage at the ones who had as good as ruined his plans for this Earth. He would make them pay, he promised to himself.

`That is enough.´ they all suddenly heard a mental voice echoing over the entire area. `Your plans for this world had promise. But they have failed. You are all good warriors, but you are simply outmatched by this enemies." They all recognized the voice... Faust, how he was currently calling himself - one of the Lords.

Issei recognized the voice as well... both, the Future and present version. Future Issei from his confrontations with him in his past (or rather future) and Present Issei from the visions he had seen of Gaeriel´s memories and from recordings he had seen during his training in the world of the Guardians.

Seemingly out of thin air, a number of dimensional vortexes appeared around them - a way for them to leave this world.

`Draw back for now,´ he declared. `There will be other chances for you to prove your commitment to our cause another time.´

Kheron could only listen in silent rage as one of their Masters declared his entire operation a failure... and told them to simply turn around and leave.

"You - you tell them to retreat," Issei addressed him.

"This fight has become senseless. Testing yourself or proving your convictions by fighting down to the last man has its place, yes. But not right now, 'the voice answered him. `The soldiers here are dying against you and your future-counterparts would prove nothing that we don´t already know, Issei Hyoudou. Or would you disagree?´ he asked him.

`It seems you disagree Kheron,´ Faust addressed him.

"Lord Faust, my plans, my ideas, have been completely ruined. I want vengeance," he exclaimed angily.

`I see.´ Faust´s voice replied. `If this is your choice, who am I to deny you this. You and any of your soldiers who volunteers to, can stay behind and continue this fight. Everyone else, leave this world now,´ he told them.

Most of the SHA soldiers were following Faust´s order and passing the opened portals. Over twenty of them were leaving. Only a half dozens of Kheron´s officers and closest followers stayed behind.

"Our mission has failed," he said quietly to the officer next to him. "It is time for Plan B. Take care of them for a few moments. Buy me some time," he ordered the others... while he himself was drawing back... to the entrance of the crashed ship.

"What the...? He is planning something," Issei said, as he saw Kheron about to enter the ship.

They all saw what he meant and he and the others concentrated on the group of remaining SHA that was standing between them and Kheron. But the seconds they needed to eliminate them, got him the time to get inside and disappear.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Alternate Kuoh_

Exorcist Issei was facing off with the creature calling itself Phantom...

...while Raynare, Gaeriel and the others, together with the Devils, were busy dealing with the SHA officer Kara and the rest of her team. Like their allies miles way, they were quickly gaining the upper hand.

Issei´s counterpart concentrated more of his power and channeled it into a wave of magical energy against his opponent. Ironically it was a similar ground principle like the technique many of his counterparts had developed, the Dress Break. But instead of destroying the clothes of his target, this here focused on momentary stunning and immobilizing it instead.

Like he had intended, the technique broke through Phantom´s defenses and made him an easy target for Issei´s Dragonshot.

The eyes of the formless body snatcher's host/body glowed in a bizarre deep yellow, just before the attack vaporized it. For a short moment, Phantom´s true, incorporal essence manifested itself in the air before them. But then it was gone.

A few seconds later Raynare hit Kara - who had been sending wave after wave of energy at her, that the Fallen Angel countered - with a light-spear in the shoulder. The wound was far from fatal. But enough to give the SHA serious trouble if she truly wanted to continue to fight.

Issei´s Exorcist team and the Devils had meanwhile eliminated the rest of Kara´s strike-team. It was over... at least here.

The next moment Faust´s mental message and his order to retreat was all over the area. Yes, it was over.

The SHA called Kara gave them a short look, and then she teleported away.

"I would advise you to repair the damage these maniacs have caused so far and erase the memories of all humans who have seen this," Gaeriel said to Rias and Sona.

"You don´t have to tell us this," Rias replied irritated. "This is our town. We know better how to deal with this than some Fallen Angels."

"Normally I don´t like the idea of manipulating people´s minds," Exorcist-Issei stated. "But I admit in this case it might be the right idea. These people were intentionally trying to reveal your existence to the humans and turn them against you. You should do what you can to make sure they won´t succeed in the end."

"We will leave now," Gaeriel told him. "We will go to help the others."

"What others?" Sona wanted to know.

"Simply put, these were not all of the group responsible for this attack. Right now the rest of our team is taking care of the rest of them," the Fallen Angel explained.

"In that case, I wish them good luck," Sona said, visibly angered by the loss of her Rook and the damage in the town.

"I couldn´t agree more," Rias stated. She and Sona still didn´t trust these strangers, but they admitted, they were at least far better than their opponents.

"Wait," Exorcist-Issei said. "Let **me** go. Like I said, this is my world and it should be me who have to take this menace down. Besides that, you all have helped us and I want to repay the favor. Please, stay here and help the Devils to take care of things in the town. Raynare, you possess Twilight Healing, so please help take care of the wounded.

And especially, make sure that it is truly over - that this Kara doesn´t return with even more soldiers or something."

Raynare and Gaeriel exchanged a short look.

"Look," Exorcist Issei said, "I promise I will do everything to help your Issei and the others. I just believe that I should be the one to help to end this."

"Okay," Gaeriel finally agreed. "We will take care of things here. And you are right. Someone should stay here for the moment to help out... and make sure that the SHA won´t try to do anything to Kuoh again."

"But..." Raynare wanted to say something.

"I know you want to help Issei. But that is something his counterpart can do as well. Now look around you, you are needed here."

The entire district had been turned into a battlefield. At some places were still injured humans lying on the streets, houses had been destroyed or were burning. Even some of the Devils were not looking well. Gaeriel was right, she **was** needed here... or at least the Twilight Healing was.

"Fine," Raynare gave in. "But if something happens to my Issei because I wasn´t there, I will do what my counterpart should have done and kill you," the said grinning.

"You will have to go through me first then," Exorcist Irina answered. "Let us go Issei-kun. I will come with you."

"Irina..."

"Don´t even say anything Issei-kun. If you want to risk your life for this world against those maniacs once again, so can I... And besides that, I love you and want to be at your side." She grabbed his face and placed a kiss on his lips.

A second later Exorcist Issei formed a magic circle and they teleported away.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _The crashed space-ship_

Future Issei cut one SHA officer´s head off with Ascalon, after a `fight´ that was too short to even be called one.

Akeno and Future Akeno eliminated two more with a double strike of Holy Lightning. Issei took another one down with the Sword of Cronos and Irina cut the last one down with her Excalibur.

But these few seconds gave Kheron what he had wanted. He was inside.

Issei blasted the entrance of the ship open and they followed him.

"I have a bad feeling about this. Whatever he is planning cannot be good," he told the others.

"I agree with you," Future Issei said. "If he just wanted to run, he would have left the battlefield. He is after something."

A few moments later they - that meant the two Issei´s, Future Raynare, Irina, Rias and the Akeno´s - found Kheron... in the engine core of the ship.

He was using his powers once more, but in a way that none of them would have expected. He was touching the metal of the machines - in fact, for a moment, his hands seem to be literaly merging with the metall... and it nearly looked at if his energy was somehow connecting itself with them.

Issei reached out with his senses to him... and it felt nearly as if Kheron´s energy and that of the ship had become one.

His power had now risen drastically and rivaled that of a Maou. But at the same time, it seemed just to be too much for him. Issei could sense that the energy flowing through him seem to damage Kheron´s body on a cellular level. The power he had absorbed into himself seemed to literally slowly killing him. But the SHA Commander didn´t seem to care.

"What have you done?" he asked him.

Kheron in response send him a grin that could make the blood freeze in someone´s veins.

"If this world won´t be saved from itself by me," he stated, "then it shouldn´t exist at all. To put it simply... " he grinned, "... I have bounded my life energy to the power-core of the ship. And I have now set it to overload. In a few minutes it will explode and Japan... and the greatest part of Eastern Asia will be gone."

"What?" Issei called out.

"Oh and if you are thinking about attacking me before that happened? Since my own energy is connected to the reactor - should I die, it will destabilize and explode as well," he declared. "So, what will you do now, Issei Hyoudou?"

Kheron blasted a large hole through the ship´s hull, lifted off the ground and floated outside.

"Can you do something to stop him?" Issei asked his future counterpart and the ones of Raynare and Akeno.

"Maybe," Future Issei answered. "If we are fast enough and manage to completely disintigrate both him and the ship."

"Maybe?" he asked.

"I should not have used Diabolus Dragon. It would be easier if I hadn´t spend so much energy," Future Issei admitted. "I could have defeated Cao Cao without it without problem. But I wanted to end the fight as quickly as possible... to prevent something like this here from happening. Damn it."

Suddenly Issei´s and Irina´s Exorcist counterparts reappeared close to them.

"We are back. We have succeeded. Kuoh is save," Exorcist-Issei greeted them. "The others are all okay."

"How are things going here?" Exorcist Irina asked them.

Future Issei was sending them a grim look.

"He has connected himself to the ship´s reactor and turned it into a giant bomb." He pointed to Kheron, who was levitating in the air before them. "In a few minutes, it will go off and destroy the half continent. And if we kill him, it will explode even earlier. Is that explanation enough for you?"

"What?" Cao Cao - who had just managed to come up again after his beat-down from Future Issei - said in shock as he overheard their conversation.

"We could also try to contain the explosion," Future Raynare offered. "If we form a circle, we could possible stop it. This area here would still be destroyed, but at least not the rest of the country."

"But that will only work if we can shield this area from all sides at once," Future Issei stated.

In this moment both the ship and Kheron himself started to send out a mixture of particle-radiation and powerful supernatural energy. Had his opponents been something else but supernaturally gifted fighters, that alone could have killed them. It was clear that his suicide technique was not far from its conclusion.

"You thought you had won didn´t you?" he called out. "You have ruined my dream of a new world... and now I will drag you all to hell."

Present Issei remembered something - he thought back to his fight with Vali during the Peace Conference. He remembered the short glympse of that new kind of power he had during that struggle... and his training afterward. If he could... then maybe.

"I have an idea," he said. "I think I know a way to stop him. But I won't guarantee that it will work," he told them. "So you should also try your idea to form a shield around this place."

"We will. What exactly do you want to do?" Exorcist Issei asked him.

"It a bit hard to explain right now. But as you know our powers are somewhat different from each other. I believe I have a way to completely remove him without his bomb going off. Like I said, without any guarantee. But it is worth to try."

Issei´s eyes fell on his comrades. They were all visibly exhausted. A few of them looked barely able to stand. They had been fighting the entire time. It was clear that they were at their limit.

"Irina, Rias, Kalawarner, Akeno, I want you to leave," he told them. "Return to our world."

"You - you just want us to go and leave you behind?" Irina asked him

"There is nothing you can do here anymore. Don´t even pretend otherwise. I know your powers are completely exhausted. Trust me, I will come back as well when this here is finished. I just want you out of the way for this, so I don´t have to worry about you as well."

"He is right," Rias said, laying a hand on her shoulder. "As much as it hurts to admit it, we are completely useless here. We are only in the way. Let us go back and wait for Issei to finish this."

"She is right," Kalawarner said. She was already activating the transport-device on her wrist.

"This is not your world," Exorcist Issei said to them. "You have already done more than enough."

Finally Irina gave in.

"We will see you later Issei," Akeno told him as she stepped through the Portal that her own hand-device had formed.

Rias did the same thing a moment later.

"In a few minutes then," Kalawarner said, as she was leaving in the same way.

Then Irina gave Issei a quick kiss before she opened a Portal on her own and left as well.

"You have good friends Issei," his Exorcist counterpart told him.

"Even if you are all completely perverted," Exorcist Irina added smirking. "But I think in the end you are not really that different from us."

"Then let us begin," Future Issei said.

"Wait," they were suddenly interrupted by another voice. "We will help you as well." It were Cao Cao and his team.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Home Dimension of the Guardians_

It was in a small town - not too far from the London of this Earth - where the Guardian headquarter was located. Here, somewhere in the middle of a city festival, was sitting a seemingly young man, together with a girl, a pretty young woman with dark brown hair, just outside of a small restaurant.

The two were sitting together, talking, drinking, flirting with each other... and even a bit with others. On the first look, they seemed like a normal young couple, who was just trying to enjoy the day - the second part was correct. Later they would maybe spend the night with hot sex.

Nobody could have guessed that the `girl´ was in fact over 200 years old... and the `young man´ was even far older. That they were anything but normal people.

He was nobody else than the Guardian leader, currently calling himself Darien and she - the girl - was the current host of the Cosmic Being known as the Spectre. Like Issei´s team, they too had returned from another mission, just a few days earlier and were now spending some time for themselves.

Then, however, they were suddenly being interrupted. By a man in a dark blue outfit, who came flying down from the sky... and landed right next to him.

"Kal," Darien greeted him. It was Kal-El - alias Clark Kent - also known as the versions of `Superman´, who was part of his group.

"Darien, Sarah - you are still using that name, are you?" he addressed the `girl´.

"Yes, but I am actually thinking about changing it soon," she responded. "Don´t worry, you are the first I will tell my new name then Kal - or should I say, Clark? But then, maybe I will then be `Sarah´ again in a few centuries, who knows? Or maybe I will simply return to my birth name for some time."

Around them, people were starring in their direction. No wonder, it was not everyday that Superman was just landing right in front of you and starting to talk with some people. And a few of them had already started to suspect, that the `young´ couple was all but normal either.

"It seems you have disturbed our free time Kal," Darien told him with a light smirk.

"I am sorry that I am interrupting your attempt to pretend to be normal Darien," Kal-El interrupted him sarcastically. "But the last of our mission-teams that we have to send out in the search for Galid has just returned. The one that got into the battle with the SHA."

"I see," Darien answered. "What is their state?"

"Only two of them had made it," Kal replied. "Out of twelve," he said in `Sarahs´ direction. "That means the team is nearly a complete loss."

"I see," Darien replied. For a short moment, he said nothing. "In the end, it was to be expected," he stated grimly. "With the report, we have already gotten from the Green Lantern, we knew something like this was to be expected. It is just worse as we thought. How were the losses of our allies?" he wanted to know.

"About half of the Green Lantern team is gone," Kal told him. "By what we are told, some of our people had been covering the retreat for them and that caused part of our losses. In fact, the Green Lanterns are thanking them and all of us for their noble sacrifice," he said.

"I understand," Darien replied. "With the exception of a few recruits, these are the first people we have lost in over a year now. But we all knew this couldn´t be avoided Kal. It's starting again. For the last decades, our two sides have only been moving around each other without actually making a real strike. We couldn´t have expected things to stay like this forever." He turned to Sarah. "You have heard it, there are things I have to take care of."

"Clark is not wrong, you know," she commented. "What we are doing here, what we are always doing. Yes, we are doing it for fun... and yes, it is fun. But we both know there is also another reason why we are doing it. The same why you are sometimes travelling the world, when you could simply appear anywhere whenever you want, why we are renting an apartment in the city, when we could have easily materialized an entire palace out of thin air or hundreds of them, why we are still having sex... or why we are hanging out at parties like this one. We are doing it because we like it, because we feel like it... but also," she stated, "... and you know that - to convince ourselves that we are still human."

"We are human," Darien responded. "We have to be," he said a bit quieter. "It is our original species and what we are at our core, Sarah. No matter what kind of powers we have achieved."

"Maybe we are," she replied. "But we could also simply be something that has outgrown this universe... and has no longer a place in it," she added a little quieter.

"Do you want to believe that?" he asked her.

"No," she answered.

"Then don´t," he said. "What we believe about ourselves has more influence on us than most people would think."

"It is just... Do you know how often I asked myself how it would be to go back to when my life was still normal? Before I joined you, before I became... what I am now."

"Had your life truly been normal?" he asked her. "You had been a kind of superhero in your world after all, even before you met us. And given that you were involved with him, even back then, `normal´ was certainly a relative term for your life."

"Actually I had been more something like a mercenary or a very irregular soldier.

"Simple `Irregular soldiers´ ususally don´t fight global threats on a regular base," Darien remarked. "I think you qualified as what we normally call a superhero, even if you didn´t call yourself that."

"And how was I supposed to know that the man I was in love with was in truth a being only as the Dark Man in my world?" she asked rhetorically. "It was only later that I found out who Seth - or Mordred or Damien or Faust or whatever he calls himself - truly is," she said.

"As I remember, that knowledge didn´t keep you from getting it on with him again a few times more later," he commented smirking.

"Okay, I admit it." She grinned back. "I guess that is the reason they say `the heart is stupid and blind´."

"It is not," Darien replied. "It would only be if you let it affect your judgment and let you do things that you wouldn´t do otherwise. Of course, we had to be completely sure that we could trust you, despite your feelings," he pointed out. "But, whatever is between you and him, you are still here - with us - aren´t you? Instead of sitting at his side."

"Yes, I might be fucking a Dark Lord and Cosmic Destroyer from time to time," she replied sarcastically, "but I am still here, fighting against him."

"Exactly, you are," he answered completely serious. "That alone should tell you something."

"Maybe," the `nameless girl´ replied. "But still, I am seriously thinking about giving these powers to someone else."

"None of the other candidates is even close to being ready," Darien reminded her.

"They will be sooner or later," she stated. "If there is one thing we have, then it is time," she said.

She layed forward and placed a quick kiss on his lips.

"Who would have thought? Me, one of the concubines of two Knights of the Roundtable who had both become Cosmic Beings at the same time." She chuckled.

"What I wanted to ask you. This body you have recruited, Hyoudou - do you think he will become like us?"

"To be honest, I am not completely sure yet," Darien replied. "It is hard to say how exactly his powers will develop, even for me. He might become like us or not. I have watched some possible futures for him, but it is not sure how this one will turn out."

"I see," she answered.

The girl watched as he and Kal-El were leaving together. They just disappeared through Darien´s power and reappeared at another place.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Somewhere else... another universe  
_

As soon as Irina had arrived, she realized that something wasn´t right. As she had passed the portal, she found herself close to a city. But it was clearly not Kuoh.

No, it several times larger than Kuoh had ever been. She could see Skyscrapers at the center of the town. Something that didn´t exist in her and Issei´s hometown either.

`Where am I?´ she asked herself. `And where are the others?... Merlin?´ she spoke to the soul-shard inside her. `Do you know what happened?´

`We are not where we are supposed to be. So much is clear,´ the Spirit answered. `And while my expertise is magic and not technology, I think it is safe to say, that the Portal somehow malfunctioned and send you to the wrong place, very likely also to the wrong world. The reason could possibly be the strong energy radiation your enemy had send out right before you left. Maybe this had interfered with the transport.´

`You - you mean we are lost?´ Irina cried out inside.

As she had come closer to the town, she could make out a town sign at the border of the settlement.

`Academy City´?, she red it.

No. She had never heard of a place like this... And with a town of this size? How could she not have heard about it? Unless Merlin was right and this was not her world.

 **xxxxxxx**

Akeno was in a similar situation like Irina was. In opposite to her, the place she found herself in was clearly Kuoh.

But she could not hold back her shock as she returned to the villa that had been the base of Issei´s team for the last months... and found it still an abandoned ruin, like he had been before that.

She also found no signs that anyone had lived here in the last years - except maybe the Stray Devil Viser, who had occupied it for some time.

She quickly came to the same conclusion as Irina and Merlin did. This was not her world. Something had gone terribly wrong.

She thought for a moment about using the transport-device again, but then decided against it. It had originally been programmed to open a Portal back to her home-world. But if it had instead sent her here - wherever that was - then there was no telling where she would land if she tried again. And she had no idea to reprogram this thing by herself.

At least this was Kuoh, even if it was clearly the wrong one.

It was better if she waited for the others to locate her. **If** they did.

Where were the others? Had they returned safely or were they in the same situation?

What about Issei, and the rest of their team? How long would they need to start searching for them - how long until they even realized she was gone? She knew that they would have to deal with this SHA first. But she was sure that Issei would succeed in whatever he planned, he had to.

Akeno felt so lost ever since her mother died and she was on the run from the Himejima Clan. She tried to force down her fear... and failed.

Where should she go to? she asked herself. The others would find her, she told herself. But it would take some time.

Where should she go until then? As she calmed down a bit, she realized that there were only a few choices - Kuoh Academy or Issei´s house.

But did Issei knew her in this universe? Did he even live in Kuoh in this world? Did he possess the Boosted Gear? WOuld he be able to do anything to help her? Would he even want to?

On the other side, did the Rias here even know her? Was she part of her peerage here too? For all she knew they could be mortal enemies here. She was the daughter of a Fallen Angel leader for Heaven´s sake.

She decided that Issei was the safer option. In the worst case he would just not know her, instead of attacking her on sight.

As she had finally arrived at Issei´s home, she rung at the door.

She was waiting for a minute and became more and more nervous. What if the Issei of this world hated her for some reason. What if he had never been born. At least she could read on the door that the Hyoudous lived here.

As it was finally opened, she took a look at the person who had opened the door... and felt how her jaw dropped.

It was a brown haired girl with glasses, wearing a Kuoh school-uniform. The girl was wearing her hair in twin-ponytails, she looked quite thin and had no breasts to speak of. All in all she looked quite average and not really attractive... and she was human - human, Akeno was sure of it.

But as she looked at her face... it couldn´t be.

"R - Rias?" she asked in complete shock.

"Yes," the girl answered, clearly not in a good mood. "Will you now come inside Akeno or continue to just stand there and stare at me with an open mouth?" she asked her.

 **xxxxxxxx**

Somewhere else, Kalawarner and Rias were in the same situation. They both had landed in Kuoh, but not the same Kuoh they came from.

 **xxx**

Meanwhile in the world they had started from, the SHA leader Kheron was continuing with his attempt to destroy himself and everyone else with him... and Issei with his idea to stop him.

* * *

 **Authors notes: Kheron´s powers are based on the ones from En Sabah Nur from X-men, who is a molecular metamorph. He however doesn´t have the part of Apocalypses powers, that allows him to switch bodies .**

 **The next chapter will be the final of Arc 3. It ends, as shown, with several members of Issei´s team missing and lost in several alternate universes.**

 **Akeno had been send to the universe with the human Rias, that was introduced a few chapters back.**

 **Some of you will already know in what kind of world Irina is in.**


	24. Chapter 24: Awakening

**Chapter 24**

The clock was ticking.

Kheron was standing before them, ready to blow up the core of his ship... and a good part of this continent with him.

Issei´s future counterpart and his teammates... and even Cao Cao and his group, were surrounding them in a large circle... trying to create a barrier around this entire area, in the hope to contain the explosion.

Most of Issei´s own team had already left, they managed to reach to safety... just like he had told them. Good. At least he didn´t had to worry about them now.

His Exorcist double and his Irina, however, were still standing at his side, facing the SHA Commander with him. All three of them had their weapons aimed at Kheron´s direction... keeping him from escaping or, even worse, starting another stunt like his suicide move. But that didn´t help much. They needed to take him out.

Issei thought back to his fight with Vali.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Flashback_

It was now a few weeks ago, during the attack of Khaos Brigade on the Peace Conference.

Issei was standing, his legs were shaking. He had not expected this.

True, it was one thing for the terrorist-organization to disrupt the meeting that Azazel had called for. That was nothing that they all shouldn´t have anticipated.

But the fact that Vali Lucifer, the White Dragon Emperor (and with that Issei´s destined rival) and one of Azazel´s allies, had actually sided with them.

After Khaos Brigade - in this case, the sub-group calling itself the True Satan Faction, led by a woman named Katarea Leviathan, a descendant of one of the original Devil Kings - had started their attack, Vali had openly declared his alliance to them and challenged Issei to a fight.

He wasn´t happy about it at all. He would have rather concentrated on dealing with the attacking terrorists. But Vali didn´t exactly gave him a chance, as he hinted, he would even target his teammates if he didn´t. True, as he used his telepathy, Issei could feel no real intention behind this threat. But his desire to fight him was certainly real.

And it was not as if Vali would just let him walk away from this... so there was no great choice.

Both of them had activated their Balance Breakers and were now in their full Dragon Scale Armors, exchanging blows and shots. All that while Issei as constantly boosting his own power, while Vali was dividing it and transferring part of it to himself. So far none of them had truly gotten the upper hand.

 **[Boost boost boost boost!]  
**

 **[Divide divide divide divide!]** The voices of the two Dragons halled through the room around them and through their minds.

"You are good... Red Dragon Emperor, I admit that... " Vali stated. "You have even surpassed my best expectations, given that you have only unlocked your powers a short time ago and don´t have that much experience yet. But that makes it even better. In some time you will actually be able to give me the fight I wanted."

"Vali," Issei asked, "why are you doing this?"

"Isn´t that obvious?" he replied, shrugging with his shoulders. "The Khaos Brigade has offered me the chance to test myself and fight against strong opponents... a far better one than Azazel could, now that he is making peace with his enemies. So, of course, I have accepted their offer," the White Dragon Emperor explained.

"And for that, you are siding with terrorists?" Issei called out. "People who are attacking my hometown? People, who are willing to let them try to kill us all? Just for that?"

"Just for that, you say?" Vali retorted. "You should know that **this** , fighting strong opponents, is the purpose of my life."

I see," Issei responded. "Then I guess talking has no sense here," he said and send a cut with the Cronos-Sword at his opponent, while preparing a Dragon Shot with his other hand.

"No, it doesn´t," Vali replied smiling, preparing a blast of his own.

Both their attacks clashed with each other and dissipated.

Once again they charged at each other in their armors and exchanged blow after blow. But slowly, Vali was getting the upper hand.

His experience, raw power, and skill was still far greater than Issei´s.

 **xxx**

In some distance he could in this moment see Azazel fighting the leader of the assault. Katarea was a tall, imposant looking... and not unattractive, he admitted... female Devil. She had light brown hair and was wearing glasses despite being a supernatural being, similar to Sona and Subaki. Issei hadn´t gotten a good look, but by what he could make out from the distance from her figure, her `assets´ didn´t seem to be bad either. It was a shame that she was a terrorist and Azazel-dono would probably kill her.

Okay, he thought - this was not the time for his perverted urges, he told himself. He could work them out later, with Raynare and/or Irina.

One thing was clear. Katarea was loosing against Azazel... and badly. Even after a strange power-up a minute ago - when her energy suddenly increased - she was still outmatched agaisnt Azazel, who was wearing a golden battle armor, an artificial Sacred Gear that he had created, as he had loudly declared.

Katarea was clearly finished, as Issei could see. She had thrown everything at Azazel that she had and he shrugged it off. And her energy was now at it´s limits.

But then something happened that surprised both, Azazel and Issei himself. Katarea´s arm was suddenly stretching itself and leashing out to the Fallen Angel leader. Issei could sense the intend of the surprise attack immediately. She didn´t even made any attempt to shield her thoughts... a suicide assault. She was trying to take her opponent out, along with herself.

 **xxx**

"Azazel!" Issei called out.

He send out another slash from the Sword of Cronos... at the point where Katarea´s arm was. Like always, no time passed between the point where Issei send out the attack and when it hit it´s target. A wide, visibly bleeding, cut appeared on the female Devil´s arm... and she cried out in pain.

Azazel used the chance and threw the spear that he was carrying with his battle-armor through Katarea´s body and she disintigrated moments later with a loud scream.

In the same moment however Issei felt something collide with the helmet of his Scale Armor and was thrown to the ground.

"You should not let yourself get distracted during a fight Red Dragon Emperor," Vali, who had just used the chance to strike him, stated. "You can be glad that I wouldn´t want to win through a cheap-shot like that. Another opponent might not be so merciful."

Issei had enough. He looked up to Vali, who was standing before him with a smug expression.

He felt his anger coming over him. This guy was forcing him into a one to one fight, just when his friends and his school were under attack. He was keeping him from assisting his friends. And he didn´t even seem serious about his intention to join Khaos Brigade. He was just doing this because he was out for a fight. Issei couldn´t help himself to growl.

But at the same time he tried to held back his anger and struggled to stay controlled. He remembered what Gaeriel and then Darien and the spirits of King Arthur and Merling had told him again and again. He needed to think, to see the situation from a brider view, to understand. Falling into a rage and attacking blindly would help nobody and maybe even make everything worse. He had been told that many of his counterparts had exactly that failure - quick to act without thinking - quick to make judgements and slow to change them afterwards - letting his personal desires and interest getting in his way of seeing things objectively.

Issei forced himself to calm down. Vali was a battle maniac, so much was clear. But maybe he also had different reasons to join Khaos Brigade. He would withhold judment of that until later.

But it was clear that Vali would not simply let him go. He needed to bring him down somehow. Or at least get him so far to break off this battle for the moment, so that Issei could help the others. If Vali wanted a fight, he would give it to him.

But for that he needed more power, even if it was only temporally. Like during the Juggernaut Drive. But it was gone, wasn´t it? Moment... The uncontrollable rage connected with Juggernaut Drive was caused by the collective hatred and bitterness of the past-hosts, that was not longer there. But the power should still be, shouldn´t it?

`Ddraig?´ Issei asked.

 **[You are right Partner. The power - the full access to my potential is still there - even if Juggernaut Drive itself is not. And with Darien´s powers mixing more and more with my own, I admit that I am not sure what exactly the outcome will be when we activate it.]**

`Is it dangerous?´

 **[For us? Maybe. For the others? Probably no. Without the suppressed rage of my old hosts, it is just our power. But there is still a risk that it might be too much for you.]**

`I see. But if my body get overloaded, is there not a risk that the power gets out of control and damages the city?´ Just like Azazel had feared back then, he thought.

 **[Maybe,]** Ddraig admitted. **[Then we should get to a save distance.]**

Issei nodded subtlely. He lifted off the ground.

"Vali," he addressed him, "I want to go all out. Let us get out of the town. I don´t want to endanger everyone."

This statement only brought a smile on the White Dragon Emperor´s face.

"Now we are finally speaking the same languade Issei Hyoudou," he remarked... and followed him in a short distance, flying out of the town.

As they were a few miles away, Issei turned around in the air and faced him again.

"Now, Hyoudou, what are you planning to do?" he asked.

Issei just smiled... while he was using his now controlled anger and wish for more power... and tried to channel it - mixing it with his desire to protect everyone... everyone in the school and the town, not just the people closest to him.

 **[I who is about to awaken...]** Ddraig started his chant, **[am the heavily Dragon who has taken the...]**

"Juggernaut Drive," Vali whispered, surprised that his rival would actually try such a move. But he wouldn´t let him. He would just not give him the time to end that chant.

But then suddenly everything changed... **  
**

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Flashback End - the present  
_

Issei concentrated...

He tried to bring himself into the same mindset he had been in during that fight - the same mixture of anger, determination and... well, you could probably call it mental clearness.

"Are you ready Ddraig?" he asked loud.

 **[I am Partner,]** he replied, **[when you are.]**

´Then let us do this,´ Issei said, silently this time, so that Kheron wouldn´t hear him. `Hopefully this time we get it better.´

 **[Trust me, we will,] the Dragon stated.** **[We have been training for weeks to control this state better.** **]**

`But we are still far from perfect,´ he said,

His eyes wandered to Kheron, whose body was nearly bursting with energy, a confident smirk on his face. It was clear that he thought he had them cornered.

"You are helpless," he told them, "only a few more moments and the reactor will overload... and then, you will all pay for ruining my plans for this world. Even if your friends will succeed with their plan for a barrier, it will not stop the explosion completely. And even then I will have at least the pleasure of taking you three with me." He smirked.

But he didn´t knew what Issei could do.

Then however, from one moment to the other, something happened what was completely unexpected.

As his Exorcist double was still facing Kheron, keeping him on guard, while Issei was preparing his new technique, the double of Irina suddenly turned around and stabbed her blade through her best friend´s stomach. Her eyes, Issei saw now, were shining in a bright bizarre looking yellow.

"What the...?" Issei exclaimed.

"Look out," his future counterpart shouted from the distance, "it is a Spirit Wraith."

"What...?" The Issei remembered about what they had told him about the events from their world. He saw how a strange, black fog like substance was leaving the other Irina´s body - like a shadow.

Spirit Wraith, the same kind of creature they had once encountered. A being like this had nearly destroyed their Rias mind and soul. This one however was obviously even able to take over other people´s bodies.

"Issei!" she called out in horror as she came back to her senses and saw what `she´ had done. "No," she cried. Tears were falling from her eyes.

It looked as if it was somehow his fate to be stabbed to death by his girlfriend, Issei thought with some bitter sarcasm.

Kheron on the other side, was laughing.

"Very good Phantom. Good work," he declared still laughing. He raised his hand to blast the fallen Sacred Gear user and the crying girl next to him. "It seems you will die even earlier than expected," he said smiling, "too bad."

 **xxx**

"Damn it," Future Akeno shouted as she saw from the distance what was about to happen.

"Wait," Issei´s future counterpart said to her, "we need to stay here if we want to contain the explosion."

"We need to keep the shields intact that we have errected or all of us will die... and half of the people on this planet as well," Cao Cao added.

"I..." she wanted to respond, but she knew they were right. Kheron was threatening to destroy the entire continent, including all of them here.

 **xxx**

Issei saw how the formless substance that had left Exorcist-Irina´s body suddenly disappeared, as if it had dissolved or transported itself away.

Damn it. His exorcist double was still motionless on the ground, he could sense now that he was still alive. But Kheron ready to kill him and his Irina.

He had to interfere, but he couldn´t break his concentration now.

But before he moved, something else happened yet again. Before his eyes, a figure, a young girl weilding a sword, materialized in front of him, just in front of his injured counterpart and his Irina... right between them and Kheron. She was holding her weapon in a defense position.

As the SHA commander fired, she blocked it with her blade. Issei took a closer look at her blade and saw to his surprise, that it was another Excalibur.

"What?" Kheron asked in surprise. "Who are you?"

"Wait," Issei said. "You are this Spirit, the one that my counterpart had said is bounded to him. You are weilding an Excalibur as well? The weapon is a part of your manifestion, right? But how...?"

"Yes, I am," the girl answered. "My name and who I am is not important right now," she told him. "I will protect this version of you - like always. Continue with what you are trying to do Issei Hyoudou," she said.

"Okay," he replied serious.

Issei remembered.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Flashback_

 **[I who is about to awaken,** **am the heavily Dragon who has taken the pr...]** Ddraig´s chant was suddenly interrupted in mid-sentence, as the power was starting to flow into Issei nearly uncontrolled, filling every fiber of his body and his mind, his entire being. **  
**

Even Vali, who was watching everything, looked more than surprised.

Issei´s entire body was glowing with a red energy and his eyes were lighting up bright green. More and more power power was building up inside him. But that was not everything. It was as if his senses were stretching out - nearly as if he was here and yet at many other places at once - as if thousands of voices were shouting at him at the same time.

Issei could barely take it. The energy flowing through his body was practically painful. He nearly felt as if he was bursting. To that came the screaming in his head. He could barely hold his senses together.

It was nearly like Juggernaut Drive, nearly. But without the uncontrollable rage and madness... and somehow - barely - he could sustain it. He tried to focus on the power - Ddraig´s power - and tried to concentrate it on Vali.

And then suddenly **it** happened... Issei felt it, his energy channeling itself and taking form... He imagined, thought about what he wanted and then a thought formed in his mind - and then reality followed his single mental command...

... a large form suddenly shaped itself in the air above them. - It was the giant claw of a Dragon... a red claw, surrounded by flames... Ddraig´s - formed out of thin air.

Vali, for all his power, could only watch with an expression of shock, as it smashed down at him with and incredible speed. The last thing Issei could see was that it had obviously shattered Vali´s Scale Armor, that disappeared one moment later... before he passed out, not longer able to stand the overload of his body and his senses.

 **xxx**

As he awoke again a short time later, he was surrounded by his teammate, Rias peerage and the three faction leaders Azazel, Sirzechs and Michael, who told him that Vali had returned to the town, carrying his unconscious form... and dropped him right before their feet, telling them that it had been a good fight and he was looking out to doing this again, before he joined the other surviving members of the attack and left.

Crazy bastard, Issei thought. But at least Vali didn´t kill him and even brought him back to the others. Ulimately it had been another lesson for him not to judge people too quickly.

The others told him that the rest of Khaos Brigade had started to retreat shortly after they had lost their leader. It looked as if his entire display against Vali had not changed much in the end.

But this new power that he had discovered...

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Flashback 2 end_

Issei gave a smile and a short nod to the girl-spirit, who was standing in front of his counterpart and Irina, who was just coming to her feet again and raised her own weapon to defend his counterpart´s body as well.

"Ddraig," Issei said once again.

 **[I am ready,** **]** the Dragon replied.

A chant was not longer necessary... or even a command... neither was anger or hatred - it was alone Issei´s and Ddraig´s combined will - their desire - that triggered the transformation.

Once again his body started to glow in the same red light and his eyes shimmered green. His Scale Male materialized once again. But it was changing. Instead of the hulking armor that covered his entire form, if formed itself into a skin tight armored body head and face were left free with this transformation. Two metallic Dragon wings were appearing on his back. But they were thinner and sleeker than the ones of his usual Balance Breaker form.

That were the **physical** differences.

At the same time Issei´s mind was reaching out to the world around him. He could hear the voices in his head again. He knew by now that it were the thoughts of the people around him. But they were much fewer and quieter than the last time. Mostly because he was this time not close to a city and there were fewer pleople in a hundred miles distance. His telepathy was now fully active and had grown even stronger.

It was as if he literally looking through the eyes of others. His mind seemed to be at a dozen places at once.

His perception of the world itself had changed. It was as if he could `see´ the movements of molecules, `watch´ the flow of time. His mind registered all this, even if his actual physical eyes did not. And he could influence these things - bend them to his will. He had now absorbed the power of the Sword of Cronos into himself... and possessed countless others.

Was this how Darien and the other Guardian leaders, the `Lords´ and other `Higher Beings´ saw the world? Was Ddraig able to notice this things?

 **[In my original form - yes, I was able to if I wanted. It feels good to see the world from this perspective again. But you know we have not much time. hurry up.** **]**

`Yes,´ Issei answered mentally.

He turned back around, facing Kheron.

The SHA leader actually looked a bit unsettled about Issei´s latest transformation and he tried to speed up the process he had started in the ship´s reactor and blow it up right now.

But nothing happened. Issei had just stopped time around the ship´s power-core.

The surprise and shock on Kheron´s face was now obvious.

"What? Why" he asked... before his own supernatural senses told him what had happened.

 **(You are finished now Kheron,)** Issei and Ddraig said to him at the same time, speaking with one voice. **(You will take nobody with you.)**

Issei had been thinking about just controlling Kheron´s mind and forcing him to stop the chain reaction in the reactor. But the SHA Commander had strong mental defenses... and it was good possible that even he himself was not able to stop what he had started. And Issei knew he would only be able to stay in this state for a short time. He had only one chance.

His mind was reaching out... he started to bend the space around both the ship and Kheron´s own body and then he concentrated even more and Issei´s powers created a rift in it... a wormhole.

"No," Kheron shouted as he begann to realize what was happening. "No!"

Split seconds later he and the ship were gone, disappeared from the face of the Earth... and reappeared in open space... in an orbit far above the planet.

`Hyoudou!´ was his last angry thought, as his body was left in the vacuum, that alone would kill even him... and at the same time the explosion was triggered and the wrecked ship, he and everything in hundreds of miles around them, vanished in a large ball of fire.

The explosion was to see even down on Earth, where Issei and the others were standing.

"Wow," Future Issei murmured. He knew that his younger counterpart had different abilities than he did... but this? He asked himself how long it would take for his other self to catch up to him.

"Your younger counterpart is talented, so much is clear," Future Raynare said grinning. "I will go now and help the other one." She spread her wings and flew off to heal Issei´s Exorcist counterpart, now that their barrier was no longer needed.

With the way her powers had grown by now, including the Twilight Healing, she could have also easily healed him from the distance. But something just urged her to fly over to him.

 **xxx**

In the same moment, Present Issei collapsed and sank down to his knees. His new battle armor disappeared and his eyes returned to their natural color.

"I... did it," he whispered.

 **[Yes you did,** **]** Ddraig responded.

"Any idea how we should call this new technique Ddraig?" Issei asked.

 **[I am thinking. Your future counterpart called his form that replaced the Juggernaut Drive `Crimson Cardinal Promotion´. But since your powers have changed, this was clearly something different.** **]**

"Since it seems to have awoken both of our potentials," Issei stated, "how about Crimson Awakening?"

 **[It sounds good. I like it,** **]** Ddraig said. **  
**

 **xxx**

"As it looks it is over," Cao Cao commented. "We will leave now," he said to Future Issei, who was still standing next to him.

Issei´s counterpart gave him a short nod, before the members of the Hero Faction teleported away.

 **xxx**

Future Raynare had just finished healing his Exorcist counterparts injuries.

"Issei, I am sorry," Irina cried out.

"Don´t be. It wasn´t your fault," Exorcist Issei answered weakly. "That wasn´t you."

The small flinch on this Raynare´s face was barely visible. `No it wasn´t,´ she thought. `This had been a monster taking over Irina´s body.´

But in her case, it had truly been herself who had done it. She asked herself if she would ever stop feeling pained about it - or if she even wanted to. She **should** feel bad about this. A part of her was actually glad that she finally felt enough regret to be hurt by it.

She turned around to Issei.

"You were really good here Kid," she said, "do you have a girlfriend?" she asked with a sarcastic grin.

"Yes, I do," he replied. (actually he had more than one, but he knew exactly which one he meant) "You should be careful, she can be a real bitch," he said, smiling back in the same manner.

This only cause Future Raynare to laugh out.

"Exactly my type of girl" she remarked. "By the way, we should see how `Little Me´ and your Gaeriel and the others are doing in Kuoh, right Issei-kun?" She turned to Future Issei and Akeno who just arrived.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Alternate Kuoh_

Raynare was still in the middle of the town that had been turned into a battlefield a few minutes ago. Gaeriel was standing next to her.

She had just finished healing one of the Devils of Sona Sitri´s peerage and was now starting with a human who had been lying close by. But there was no telling how many other injured humans were lying somewhere inside or between the damaged buildings around.

She should not even give a damn, she told herself. This here were humans and Devils. She should not care about the first and should actually be happy if a few of the second group died. But that seemed like a long time ago, that she had been thinking like that.

Now she was standing here, healing injured humans and Devil. She nearly felt as if she was Asia. Well, that did she expect? As she took the power of the Twilight Healing, it should have been obvious to her that she would actually be healing people with it, she thought sarcastically.

The point was, she **wanted** to heal this people. She truly didn´t want anyone here to die because of this Kheron´t madness. The last months she had been living with humans and even Devils truly seemed to have taken their toll on her.

Beside that, it might truly help the Azazel´s of this world´s plans for peace, if a Fallen Angel was helping the inhabitants of Kuoh. Given that he had similar plans like the one in her world of course.

Raynare concentrated - commanded her Sacred Gear to follow her will. She channeled her own energy as a Fallen Angel, as well as the power of the Pheonex Flame she had been given during the training and the Dragon Powers she had gotten from her future counterpart (and indirectly Future Issei) and concentrated them to power up the Twilight Healing.

The powers she had received from her older self were now finally taking their full effect. More and more energy was being build up and channeled through her body.

Raynare was surrounded by a pillar of red and green flames.

The radius of the greenish light around her was now shining over the entire towns district. All over this area, people who had been caught in the fighting were being healed. Wounds were disappearing, bones were growing back together, lost blood was restored. Ironically, in many cases, they were feeling better than they had been before theiy got injured in the first place.

As all this was happening, a fourth pair of wings was materializing on Raynare´s back. The Dragon Power she had received had now taken full effect and bonded itself to the Pheonex Power and the Twilight Healing... and this had raised her strength to a new level. But she ast first didn´t even notice, since she was too concentrated on what she was doing.

As she turned around, the remaining injuries of the Devils, who were standing close by, had also disappeared.

"I have to say, that was truly impressive," Gaeriel said.

"Well, I did want to have the Twilight Healing on every price, so I should of course goddamn use it to it´s full extend, right?" Raynare commented.

"Yes," Gaeriel replied smiling, "but that is not all what I meant. Look at your wings."

The Fallen Angel turned her head on for the first time saw the new pair.

"Welcome to Ultimate Class," Gaeriel commented. "I have to say, I wish I could increase my power as easily as you."

"It seems we are done here," the Exorcist version of Xenovia stated.

"We are," Kiba´s counterpart said.

"Moment!" someone interrupted them. It was Sona, the one from this world. "You have helped us and we are thankful for it. But we still want to know who exactly you are."

"Yes, Holy Sword weilders and Fallen Angels working together is something you don´t see every day," Rias Gremory stated.

Gaeriel and Raynare exchanged a short look. They remembered the trouble it caused as the Devils from their world had found out about their organization.

"These four are Exorcists from the Church, as they had already told you. Two pairs of twing of Holy Sword weilders," Gaeriel stated, gesturing to the two versions of Xenovia and Kiba.

The Devils were only looking at her dumbfounded, not quite believing her explanation. They all knew how rare people with the ability to use Holy Blades were. But what other explanation was there? After all, it clearly **were** two identical pairs of Holy Sword weilders.

"Raynare and I are part of a group that has found out about this and wanted to stop it," Gaeriel said. "That we are also Fallen Angels is just a coincidence. If you ever see one of us again (in this world, she thought), we will act as if this here never happened. That is all we can tell you.

One last thing. There is now a chance for peace between our Factions. We have heard that people in both the Grigori and Heaven are already working for it. I hope that you won´t let your personal fears or ambitions stand in it´s way, when the time comes."

With this the two Fallen Angels formed two magic circles beneath their feet and teleported away, taking the four Exorcists (both versions of Xenovia and Kiba) with them... and leaving the still quite confused Devils behind.

 **xxxxxxx**

Miles away, two beings who had been watching the entire battle, were discussing the outcome.

"It looks our little Guardian group and your protege and his team have won," Faust´s manifestation stated. "Well, it seems it was a good decision to order the rest of Kheron´s crew to retreat. Otherwise we would have lost them all needlessly."

"They did," Zelretch responded quietly. Like the `Lord´ next to him, his senses had been following the entire battle. Their `agreement´ however kept him from interfering. Still, it was the lesser evil by far. Even if Kheron had succeeded in wiping out a continent, Faust - if he fully entered this world - could have destroyed the entire planet countless times over.

"Are you happy that is still alive?" Faust asked him smoothly. "But on the other side, I am sure you also have your eyes on many other candidates in other realities, to serve your purposes if need to," the apparation commented. "Tell me one thing, how many people - how many versions alone of Issei Hyoudou - in how many worlds have you given this Spirit Cards?"

"Why do you want to know? And why should I tell you?" Zelretch questioned.

"You don´t have to. I am just curious. But you know I could find out the answer by myself quite easily," Faust responded. "Well, I will leave now. I am sure you have other matters to attend to as well. I just hope that your interests won´t collide with mine or the Order´s in the future. YOu are a intersting character and I would truly not like to destroy you."

With that he disappeared.

The being named Zelretch stayed behind, thinking about how things went down. He had indeed many other candidates in other realities. All of them showed at least the potential to become great heroes and protect their worlds. One or two of them were even other Issei Hyoudou´s.

 **xxxxxxx**

The remaining members of the two - actually three - groups were meeting one last time.

"We wanted to say, thank you," the Exorcist version of Issei said to his two counterparts and their teammates who were still present. "You have saved our lives and prevented a disaster from happening."

"Yes, you are truly great," Irina added, "even if you are all complete perverts."

"Irina," Exorcist Xenovia hissed.

"What? You know this is true," she replied.

"Yes, but it is very impolite to say something like that to our saviors. Even if it is true," Exorcist Xenovia said.

"You are just saying the same thing," Isaiah teased her a bit.

"Maybe you hope secretly that your Issei would become more like ours," Future Akeno commented grinning. "I am sure you would like the things they are doing with us on a regular base. Should I tell you some detail to get your Issei some inspiration?"

The two Exorcist girls were now deep red in their faces.

Even their own Xenovia and Irina seemed a bit flustered.

"Oh and Xenovia, if you can not decide between your version of Kiba and Issei, you can always try both of them at the same time - one in your pussy, one in your ass. Believe me... you don´t know what you are missing," Future Akeno said dreamily.

"Akeno, this is enough," Future Issei said. "You are a bit too extreme. And if even I think you are too extreme, it truly means something."

"Okay Issei-kun," she replied now, meekly at the outside, but still quite playful.

Both Raynare´s and also some of the others, had to hold back their laughter at the antics of the Human/Fallen Angel hybrid.

"We will leave now," Issei said to the Exorcists. "We will probably return somewhere in the future to see how things have turned out in this world."

"And if the actions of the SHA here had any lasting impact," Gaeriel added. "So goodbye... at least for now."

"We will see us," Issei said.

"Goodbye," his Exorcist double said.

"Do me a favor, if you find this creature that had forced me to hurt Issei-kun, get it for me," Exorcist Irina exclaimed.

"Don´t blame yourself for this," Issei´s Exorcist counterpart told her. "As I said, it wasn´t you."

"Count on us, we will," Raynare replied.

Issei used the control device that he himself was wearing and opened a portal that would send them back to the home dimension of the Guardians... and from there, after they gave a report about what happened here, they would return to their own homeworld and join the others.

This time - without Kheron´s interference - the portal worked without a glitch. None of them knew yet what had happened to their teammates.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Somewhere in another world_

Irina was now walking through the streets of a town, somewhere in another universe. On the first look, it was a major town, just like many in her own world.

But her senses told her this city was anything but normal. The truth was, she could sense a large number of supernatural powers.

There had to be many powerful beings living here - possibily hundreds of them.

But they felt different from anything Irina had ever seen in her world. Many ,if not most, didn´t even seemed to be magical in origin - at least not in the way she knew it.

No great surprise. This was a different universe after all. And as far as she could tell, all these energies were human.

So it seemed powerful gifted humans were nothing unusual in this world. Or at least that there were far more common than in her own.

But that was not even the strangest thing. No, it was, that - at least as far as she could make out - some of these energies were feeling... completely identical, at least to her.

`Merlin?´ she thought.

 _"You are right Irina,"_ the soul-shard of the Sorcerer sealed inside her weapon answered her. _"These energies are practically the same and there are at least ten or eleven of them, maybe more. Most of them are somewhere at the other side of the city. Four others however are very close to us. There is also a last one that is very similar - the strongest as it seems - that is by itself."  
_

`Are you sure?´ Irina asked.

 _"Yes, their energy is so similar that I can not feel a real difference. And it seems that most of these identical powers are at the same places. That is probably no coincidence."  
_

`What should I do?´ she asked desperately. `I have truly been transported to the wrong universe. Will the others be able to find me? They will be able to, right?´ She was afraid. She didn´t want to be lost here, she didn´t want to never see the others again. She felt horrified at the thought.

She was walking along a street on a sidewalk, while she was holding this mental conversation. A few people came across her. But nobody paied attention to the worn out and a bit tattered looking, but otherwise seemingly normal girl.

 _"I can not anwer you your question for sure?" Merlin replied. "Remember, I am just a small part of the soul of a man who had died along time ago. I am not even Merlin´s full spirit. I possess his knowledge at the time he died, but not much more. I know nothing about this new technologies. But I am able to use logic. If you have landed in this world due to a failure in the system, then the others who have travelled at the same time..."_

`Then the other might be lost as well,´ Irina realized terrified. `Rias, Kalawarner and Akeno. Hopefully the same won´t be happen to Issei and the others.´

 _"Yes, hopefully this failure was only temporally," Merlin stated. "But even then, searching for four would take much more time than only for one person."_

`That means even if they are searching for me, it might take a long time before they find me,´ she stated.

 _"Yes."_

`I - what should I do?´ Irina asked herself... `until they find me.´ If they ever did, a part of her felt doubt. No, she couldn´t think like that. Issei would find her, he would. But what should she do until then?

Maybe she could ask someone here for help, find some place to live. But how should she knew who to trus? She would just have to risk it.

 _"I believe you should not tell anybody that you are a Exorcist," Merlin stated. "At least until you know for sure that something like an Exorcist even exists in this world and that it means the same thing."_

`Yes, of course.´ For all she knew the Church could be hated in this reality or something, she thought. It was really wiser to not say too much about herself for the beginning. But she would need to introduce herself to someone sooner or later, getting to know the people here.

She was walking around aimlessly for another few minutes.

Then however, she found herself heading in the direction of the four energies closest to her - four of the identical ones. She couldn´t help her curiousity. Irina completely suppressed her own energy.

She knew she shouldn´t have been surprised by what she saw. It were four girls that were crossing her way - four completely identical looking girls. They all had shoulder-leng brown hair, grey eyes and were wearing the same clothes, that consisted of light grey shirts and short dark blue miniskirts. Even the shoes they were wearing were the same.

`Quadruplets?´ Irina thought.

 _"That would not explain the identical energy signatures. Or why there are over a dozen of them," Merlin replied. "I rather think this are some sort of organic homunculi - or as you say in your time, clones."_

`What?´ Irina was now directly in front of them, walking in the opposite direction to them on the sidewalk and crossing their path.

She was overhearing a bit of the things they were saying.

"The movie was really good. We should do something like that more often, this Misaka says," one of the four identical girls stated.

"Yes, it was entertaining," a second one replied. "But it would have been even better if I had watched it with Touma-kun. This Misaka had learned that going to the cinema and watching movies together is a typical way for boys and girls to spend their time on dates." Despite the topic of their conversation, just like the first one, the girls voice seemed to show barely any emotion.

`What the...?´ Irina thought about the way these girls were talking.

"This Misaka agrees. This experience would be even **more** enjoyable," the first clone said - not paying any attention to the short subtle glare the second one was sending her for a moment. "But onee-san would probably not like this," she said. "She would probably try to interfere, if she found out."

"Yes, she is always denying her own feelings for him, but at the same time keeps others from getting close to him," the second clone stated, "... she is, how is the term? - a tsundere, this Misaka say..."

Irina was now getting out of hearing range and could not get more of the conversation. The topic was actually quite normal. One of them - or, like it sounded, at least two of them - seemed to like a boy. But this `onee-san´ was obviously interested in him as well, but didn´t want to admit it... but still getting in the way.

Yes, it would have been completely normal `girl-talk´, if it were not for the little fact that they all were obviously copies of the same person.

`What now?´ Irina asked herself once again. She would need a place to stay, while she was waiting for the others to find her.

`I guess I will have to ask someone for help,´ she thought. `At best I ask one of the people with powers. I - I will just tell them that someone is after me or something. Someone like that could probably believe this easier.´

 _"That would not even be a real lie," Merlin responded. "If our enemies would find you here, you could get in real danger. But if you want to do that... why have you not just asked the clones?"_

`Are you kidding me? Don´t you think that these girls were kind of creepy?´

If Merlin´s soul-shard had a face, he would have rolled with his eyes.

 **xxxxxxx**

In another world, Akeno was in a quite similar situation.

She was in this moment sitting on the couch in the living roon, inside a bizarre counterpart of Issei´s home... together with an even more bizarre, obviously human, counterpart of Rias.

At the outside, the house looked nearly exactly like the one where Issei´s family was normally living.

But at the inside she quickly realized that it was far from the same. The walls were at several places decorated with magical and supernatural items. She could sense the leftovers of powerful mystical energy and spells that had obviously been used in this house. From the outside, she had not been able to sense any of it, but here...

While Issei in her world (and as it looked in many others) was involved with the Supernatural, his parents were completely normal people. Here however obviously not. What exactly were the Hyoudou´s in this world?

And to that came another thing... **her**.

"You know Akeno, ya are awfully quiet today," `Rias´ said to her.

This counterpart of `Rias Gremory´ looked nearly like a reverse version of her best friend... or a bizarre carricature from a cartoonist.

She had brown hair instead of red, her breasts were so small that you could think she didn´t even had any. She was wearing glasses... and she was human for damns sake.

How could this even be? she asked herself.

To that came that curiously, from time to time, this Rias was talking with a obvious irish accent. But as it looked only if she wanted to.

Damn it, she had to tell her, Akeno thought. She had still not told her that she was not truly the same Akeno she knew. The last thing she wanted, was that these people thought she was trying to impersonate `their´ Akeno or something. And if the Hyoudous of this world were truly some kind of mages and connected to the Supernatural, this misunderstanding could get really ugly.

"Rias... I have to tell you something," she said.

"You can spare yourself that," the human Rias responded. "I know perfectly well what is going on."

"Y-you do?" Akeno asked. That could not be, she thought.

"What exactly are you planning to do?" Rias said now. "Some prank that you have made up together with Shirone? Or are you planning to seduce Issei again?"

`Shirone? Koneko´s real name? Seducing Issei?´ Akeno repeated mentally.

"And now you are sitting here completely quietly and pretending everything is alright?" Rias continued. "Let me make one thing clear, you and Shirone can make fun of me, I don´t care. But there is no way I let you fuck Issei before me. Your boobs might be `a bit´ bigger than mine... (`A bit?´, Akeno thought incredulousy, looking at her practically not present cleavage, `yes clear.´) ... but the first one to enjoy Issei-kun´s body and to take his large dick inside her, will be me," she declared `proudly´.

She actually had her fist balled in some kind of imposing looking gesture.

Okay, this was clearly **not** the same Rias she knew, Akeno said to herself. She sounded more like a mixture of the Rias she knew and a female Issei. But on the other side, she couldn´t help to like her mindset.

But she had far important matters on her mind right now. The others would locate her sooner or later, she told herself. At least she had to believe that, if she didn´t want to fall into complete panic.

But till then, she needed to stay somewhere. And that meant she should better win the trust of this people. And letting this Rias continue to think she was their Akeno was certainly the wrong way to do that.

"M-moment," Akeno called out, "you misunderstand. What I wanted to tell you is... I - I am not the same Akeno you know."

Rias was only looking at her incredulous.

"Oh yes?" she asked. "And what are you then? A clone? A double from a parallel universe?" she questioned sarcastically.

"A-actually it is... it is the second one," Akeno said quietly.

"Very funny," Rias replied sarcastically. "Could you not think of something better? I might be a manga worshipper, but..."

"I am serious."

"Okay, so you are Akeno´s evil double from another universe?" she stated grinning.

"I am not evil... " she replied, "... well not much," she whispered barely hearable.

"Ah, then... you are the good and our Akeno is the evil one," Rias said laughing, "that would explain a lot."

"I mean it. By what you said, your Akeno is not a Devil, right? Look." In this moment Akeno revealed her aura, that she had been supressing until now and materialized her mismatched set of Fallen and Devil wings.

Rias was now starring at her with open mouth.

"You - you are," she stammered fro a moment, before she seemed to catch herself again. Her expression turned deadly serious and Akeno felt power rising up from her.

In this moment, something materialized on the human Rias left arm. She was a Sacred Gear user, Akeno realized. She could have probably sensed the residing energy in her earlier as well, if she had paid more attention. But she had just been too shocked.

She could barely believe it. This version of Rias possessed the Boosted Gear.

"Who are you?" Rias asked her angrily. "Has this bitch Sona send you?"

`Sona?´ Akeno once again thought confused. `Why would this Rias have a problem with her?´ Well, it was an alternate world, right?

In they heard the front door being opened once again.

"Don´t move," Rias told her seriously. "We will see what Issei-kun has to say about ya."

As the group of people who had just arrived, entered the living room, Akeno got the shock of her life. Not because of the counterpart of Issei who had just come in, or her own double, who was looking nearly exactly like her, or even Koneko or Shirone, as she seemed to call herself here...

... no, the reason was the woman standing directly behind them. It was a woman looking very similar to herself... only older - a woman who in her world has been dead for many years.

"Mother!" Akeno said in complete shock.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Guardian Home Universe_

"What do you mean, they are not here?" Issei asked completely shocked... He, flanked by Raynare, Gaeriel and Asia, was looking at Odin and Darien, who were standing before him with nearly unreadable expressions.

"Buchou and Akeno are missing?" Kiba called out as well.

"Like you told us, they had tried to transport back to your home universe, shortly before the battle ended," Odin explained, "but they had never arrived there. As it seems, the energy outbursts caused by this Kheron´s self destruction tactic, must have caused the control mechanisms of the portals to malfunction."

"Wha...? Then tell me where they did end up intead, so we can get them back," he exclaimed.

"You don´t undertand," Darien stated sternly. "Through the malfunction in the system, they could have landed anywhere, in any of thousands of universes. Since you said they transported separately, it is very likely that they had not even all arrived in the **same** universe."

"B-but that would mean?" Issei stammered, "they - they are lost?"

"We will find them," Darien said. "As you know, we are able to detect disruptions in the natural flow in different universes space-time, like for example caused by transfers between the dimensions."

"The problem is that, like Darien said, there are countless worlds... " Odin pointed out. "And we are not the only ones travelling between them. But believe me, we **will** find them. I could take us some time... maybe months... maybe more... but we will."

Issei turned his head to his future counterpart and his group, who were standing close by. They all were looking at him with sympathy.

"We will take care of all things in Kuoh," Future Issei told him. "Just concentrate on finding your friends. Like we have agreed, we will deal with Khaos Brigade and the other problems in your world. We can also take your place at school for a bit if you want. Nobody will even realize you are gone."

"Thank you," Issei said.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Somewhere in the Multiverse_

In yet another world, Rias Gremory was realizing in this moment, that she was having great problems.

She was standing here inside the club-room of the Occult Research Club, looking into the grim face of... herself.

"So you really think you can just walking into my territory and trying to pull a stunt like that?" Rias said to Rias. "What were you planning? Were you thinking you could just sneak in here, trying to replace me? If you thought that, you are really a fool. Koneko had sensed you sneaking around the school before you came even close."

Around them were sitting Akeno, Kiba, Koneko and Asia. It was nearly like home... nearly. Except the fact that she was a prisoner, captured by her own peerage.

"Tell me, who has send you imposter? Khaos Brigade? The Old Satan Faction? The Grigori?" her counterpart asked. "We will get the truth out of you soon enough. I should have you killed here and now for daring to imitate a member of the Gremory Family like this you lowlife. But I still have questions left for you. Then, when you have told me exactly who has send you and how exactly they have changed you to look exactly like me... then you have my permission to die."

 **xxxxxxx**

What neither of them knew, that there was also another group at the towns border, that had set their sights on Kuoh... more precisely on the Devils living in it.

This group consisted of members of the Hero Faction of Khaos Brigade. Siegfried, Jeanne... and Issei Hyoudou.

"Everything is ready," he was talking through a magic-circle to the person on the other end of the line. "Our team is in position to strike."

"Good Issei. Start when you are ready," Cao Cao´s voice answered him. "This is what you have been waiting for, right?"

Yes, this was what he had been waiting for, Issei Hyoudou thought. Now he would finally have his revenge... on Rias Gremory.

 **xxxxxxx**

Meanwhile, Kalawarner was in a quite different situation.

Just like Akeno and Rias, she had arrived at the borders of Kuoh, since it was quite close to the location where they had intented to arrive in their home universe.

She had quickly ralized that something was not right.

The level of demonic energy in the town was not nearly as high as it should be. Thanks to the presence and the activities of the Devils, there was usually always a certain amount of it over the city. But here... she could barely sense anything that proved their presence. It was nearly as if Devils had been here once, but then abandoned the place.

As she moved through the town, carefully, but with panic growing inside her more and more. As she arrived at the mansion her team was using as their HQ, she found it empty, with no sign that someone was living in it. Of course, she thought... because this wasn´t her world. Something had gone wrong, she came to the same conclusion like the others, and she had been left alone.

And like the others, she concluded that she would need to find a place to stay, to wait until the others would have located her. Best would it be probably if she joined the Fallen Angels of this world until then.

The only good thing was that the Devils in this world seemed to have left Kuoh... or at least very strongly reduced their presence. So at least she wasn´t surrounded by hostile Devils as she arrived.

During her walk through the town, she found what was probably the reason for this, as she was looking at the burned out ruins of Kuoh Academy. A sign at the front gate said that there had been a large fire, a few weeks ago, that had destroyed the building and killed over 20 students.

A normal fire, destroying a school controlled by Supernatural beings, Kalawarner thought. Even if it had managed to cause some damage, before it had been stopped, the Devils could have simply used their powers to restore everything.

No, this had to have been an attack. Khaos Brigade? She questioned. There had been an attack on her world´s version of Kuoh Academy as well after all. Only that this one was obviously far more successful.

* * *

 **This was the end of Arc three. The next one will start with Issei and his group´s search for their missing teammates.  
**

 **Like it was already stated, the GoD versions of the characters will basically take over their role in Kuoh for so long.**

 **The last parallel worlds shown and the Erebos Demons will also play a greater role in the next story arcs.**

 **The name of the power Awakening is inspired by One Piece and in particular the awakening of the Devil Fruit powers.**


	25. Chapter 25: Lost (Arc 4: start)

**Chapter 25**

Issei´s mind was stretching out over time and space... over worlds and dimensions, trying to find the signs that he was looking for... trying to find **them**.

While he was doing this, his thoughts were in perfect sinch with Ddraig´s, whose powers were the whole time boosting his telepathy.

It was a few days ago now that half of his team had been lost.

Together with Darien, he was standing in a wing of the mansion that was the Guardian´s headquarter, that resembled a large astronomical observatory... a quite futuristic one from the 27th century, however.

Only that the forms of glowing orbs, stars and galaxies, above them were not the actual night-sky over the mansion, it was a virtual display of various universes - assisted and manipulated by their own combined mental power, an astonishing mixture of futuristic technology and supernatural powers.

Under the guidance of the Guardian leader, he and the Dragon, were now together using their supernatural senses to search the time streams of different universes for interruptions in their space-time.

It was the same principle with that they had located the SHA and discovered their plot in the first place - where the entire problem had started. Whenever someone or something was transferred between the worlds, intentionally or per accident, such an interruption appeared.

The problem was only that there were millions of universe out there, many thousands that were populated. That and the fact that the Guardians were by far not the only beings who traveled between the dimensions.

The specific universe they currently concentrated on was shown as a full virtual star-map, that showed entire groups of galaxies - while the others, close to it in the multiverse, were represented by small blue shimmering globes.

Until they switched to another dimension and the one they had just watched shrunk down to just another small blue orb and another one took its place in full display.

So they both were manipulating the virtual representation with nothing but their minds, as they were searching the universes for time-stream breaches.

Millions of worlds...

 **xxx**

 _"How should we ever find them?"_ Issei had asked in desperation.

 _"They have most likely been sent to worlds in your own cluster of universes,"_ Darien had explained. _"Your control-equipment is programmed to target only realities that are part of it. So it is unlikely that they have landed somewhere else, even with the malfunction."_

 _"Unlikely, but not impossible?"_ Issei questioned.

 _"As you have learned, something like absolute security doesn´t exist in the multiverse,"_ Darien replied.

 **xxx**

 **[That might be true, but remember what your counterpart has told us,]** Ddraig reminded him.

Yes, Issei remembered.

And even more, the controller was also hardwired to never - under any circumstances - send a traveler to a world those physical laws didn´t allow life. So at least he could be sure that his friends had not been sent into a dead universe - one without air or with hundred times of gravity or something.

Their cluster, that meant worlds that were close variations of his homeworld, with the three Supernatural Factions, the Great War, the Sacred Gears, his hometown Kuoh and its role and similar similarities.

But that still meant many hundreds of possibilities.

But they would find them. He was completely sure about that. They would find them and reunite with them. And then they would all celebrate a goddamn party and exchange stories about everything that had happened...

... and then, he would also see Irina´s boobs again, his thought started to wander off... and then they would have sex the entire night.

No, he push this out of his mind. He had no time for this now, he told himself. He had to concentrate.

Boobs and hot night would come later.

Yes, they would find them, Issei promised himself, but it might take some time. He could only hope that they would take care of themselves until then.

He thought a moment about Irina, how much she meant to him. Just like Raynare and Asia. Right now he was actually happy that they had left Asia at home. Who knew where she could be now?

 **xxx**

Ddraig was during all that silently supporting his partner.

Still, he admitted this experience here was also quite interesting for him as well. He had never used his powers in this way before.

It was pure telepathy, mixed with interdimensional magic and telekinesis.

He had never come to the idea to use his powers like this. Of course, he never did have a reason to. There had never been a need for him to locate someone across several parallel dimensions.

Yet, he admitted, whenever he had worked on creative ways to improve his abilities before, it was mostly to reach a higher level of magical power.

It was the battle credo of the Dragons, their mindset... they were not called `Beings of Power´ for nothing. They were proud creatures and had their way to do things.

... raw power against raw power, strength vs strength... the stronger one being the victor.

His and Albion's signature techniques that they had developed so long ago were perfect examples of this. `Boosting´ and `Dividing´, both were ultimately simply a way to increase your own strength compared to your opponent.

Of course, he also possessed high skills in telepathy and various forms of magic. But he never actually used them offensively in a fight.

Well, one or two of his past hosts might have tried something in that direction, with limited success. Too many of them had just been too impatient and got drunk with power too easily.

It had never crossed his mind to just remove the air around an opponent to weaken him. Or to cut off his conscious mind from using his powers. Or to distort time and space around him to make it impossible for him to use them. Or to simply freeze him in time.

Just like he had never thought that someone would separate his mind and soul from his body and trap it into a Sacred Gear. And what had happened?

But all that were also forms of power. Fighting your opponent in unexpected ways was not a show of weakness, it was one of strength, he knew all too well. He remembered how he had to deal with Albion´s Divide technique for the first time so long ago. It had caught him by surprise and would have cost him the fight, if he hadn´t pushed himself and managed to Boost several times at once to compensate.

But that was long ago.

Since he had arrived here along with Issei, they had met many powerful beings - many originally much weaker, but some of them came to rival or even surpass him... using their powers in hundreds of different way, exchanging ideas, training each other's abilities.

... And he was learning, along with Issei.

Albion and his host would be getting a surprise when they were fighting the next time, Ddraig thought to himself smugly. They would soon face a completely new Red Dragon Emperor.

 **xxx**

One of the most difficult things he had to do about this situation, he had already brought behind himself...

... and that had been to tell Rias and Akeno´s families about their disappearance.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Two days earlier_

He - together with Raynare and Gaeriel, who supported him - had been meeting with Sirzechs, Grayfia, Rias parents and Sona Sitri and her Queen from the Devils and Baraquiel and Azazel from the Fallen Angels in Sona´s office in Kuoh Academy.

None of them was anywhere close to happy when they heard the news.

The future-counterparts of himself, Rias and Sona were also in the room with them. They had asked to be present during the meeting. He was actually glad about this, since their presence helped a lot to calm the shocked and outraged Devils and Fallen Angel down somewhat.

A situation like this reminded him once again just how damned powerful Sirzechs was. Being around creatures like Darien and the other leaders of the Guardians could sometimes make one forget this.

The energy the Super-Devil started to radiate as he heard about what happened to his sister, would have been enough to obliterate multiple countries.

"So you are telling me that Rias had been lost in some parallel world?" he asked in a dangerous voice. "And that on the first mission she had decided to join you on? I expected you to look out for her."

"And Akeno as well?" Baraquiel asked.

Issei nodded.

"I - I tried to protect them," he tried to explain. "I wanted to send them back to this world because I wanted to keep them out of danger. But the control-mechanism malfunctioned and..." they all already knew what happened. "We are sure that they have arrived safely wherever they are. It is just that we don´t know where."

"But you have no idea what these worlds are like where they have been sent?" Venelana said. "You have no idea what kind of danger could be there."

"No," he admitted. "We are pretty sure that they have landed in worlds very similar to ours. That means our Supernatural World and the three Factions should exist there. Most likely."

"But that is no guaranty," Zeoticus stated. "For all, we know the Great War might have never ended in one of these worlds. Or something even worse could be going on."

Issei said nothing for a moment.

"You should not blame Issei for this," Future Rias spoke up. "By what I heard, he did everything he could to protect them.

And if I have to remind you, my counterpart had volunteered for this position... and none of you had protested against it, despite that you knew the danger. You wanted a closer relationship with the Guardians from the beginning because you saw this as a chance to spread the Devil´s influence beyond this world. And as my counterpart wanted to join Issei´s team, you just saw this as another opportunity.

I know you all too well. So don´t try to put all the blame on Issei now."

Sirzechs, Zeoticus and Venelana flinched at her words for a moment and looked actually guilty.

"We didn´t know something like this would happen," Zeoticus responded. "It... " he broke off his sentence.

He, Venelana and Sirzech couldn´t help to stare at the double of their missing daughter.

"Sorry, it is just... a bit confusing," Venelana said. "It is just, you are her and yet not. It is confusing."

"I know," Future Rias answered. "Look, I am hundred percent sure Issei-kun will bring them back. My Issei was always there for me and always protected me," she stated with a side-look to his future-counterpart. "Even when I often didn´t deserve it," she admitted.

"And by what I have seen, in this world, he is just the same. I am sure he will find them. Just give him some time."

Sirzechs nodded.

"Issei Hyoudou, you will find my sister," he said in a stern voice. "You will not tire until you have located her and Akeno and the others and brought them back to safety. Do you promise this?"

"I do," Issei replied.

"I am sure he will do his best Baraquiel," Azazel said to his old friend, laying his hand on his shoulder.

"And you will do your best to assist him, right Raynare?" he asked her in a meaningful tone.

"Of course I will My Lord," Raynare replied.

"Wait a moment," Issei´s future-counterpart addressed him, as he and the others were just about to leave the room.

"There is something that might help you."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Present_

Now all he had to do was to fulfill his promise and actually find them.

Issei remembered what his other self had told him... and concentrated once again.

No, the universe they were currently searching didn´t show any signs of his friends. They switched to the next one.

And again Issei focussed his mind... wait, there was something. Finally, a sign.

But was it truly one of them, he asked himself... or something else?

 **xxxxxxx**

 _`Akeno´s´ world_

Akeno was in this moment staring at the person whose presence shocked her more than anything else.

"Who are you?" Issei´s counterpart asked her sternly.

"I - It may sound strange, but I am Akeno Himejima. Just not the one you know."

"She is a Devil," Rias stated. "I am not sure we can trust her."

"But I willingly admitted that," Akeno herself responded. "I even powered up in front of you. If I were here to spy on you or something, would I have done that?"

"Ae´kay, she actually has a point here," Rias admitted. "Imagine. She actually claims to be Akeno´s double from an alternate universe. Like in the Twilight Zone or something."

The local counterparts of Koneko and Akeno herself, who had been staring at her the entire time, were now looking at her as if she was truly an alien. Okay, in some sense she really was one, she knew. She was not from this world after all.

She could however also sense that the two other girls had also activated their powers... and were probably ready to attack her if needed - just like Issei´s counterpart was.

Neither of them was a Devil, that much was clear. No wonder if Rias counterpart was human. And given how she reacted to Sona, they might not have the best relationship to Devils.

What kind of fucked up universe was this anyway? Differences between universes were caused by `decision-points´ in the timeline, things that happened differently in the past - the further back, the greater the differences in the presence. But this? How could one person be in one world a Devil and in another a human? It made no sense.

"Rias, is this some kind of joke from you?" `Akeno´ asked her, crossing her arms. "Have you somehow conjured this double with magic or something for a prank?"

"No, I have not," Rias replied annoyed. "It is just as I said. She was suddenly standing at the door."

Shuri was also looking at the double of her daughter, they had found standing in their living-room, in similar bewilderment.

Okay, she had already seen many strange things since she and her daughter came to be living with Issei. And also before that with her husband. But she had simply not been expecting something like this today. She and the others were just supposed to return home and spend a quiet afternoon.

She promised herself, if this actually turned out to be some twisted joke from Rias to get back at her daughter for one or another of her antics, she would have some words with her herself.

"Mother," Akeno heard herself say, more quietly than the last time. But the others could hear her.

She could not help herself. Seeing her alive was more than unsettling. But at the same time, a part of her was more than happy about it. While another part was screaming at her that this wasn´t her true mother - not the Shuri she had known.

"This is **my** mother you imposter," `Akeno´ told her with a sudden burst of anger.

"You don´t know how good you have it," Akeno only replied tonelessly. "You don´t know."

"What do you mean with that?" her double asked confused.

But Akeno only sank her gaze silently, her face suddenly filled with an expression of pain.

Shuri Himejima had a strange feeling as she saw this. She actually had to fight the urge down to walk forward and take this `girl´ into her arms - and that while the real Akeno was standing right next to her. One thing was clear. This was not simply some magical created copy.

It nearly felt as if she had suddenly two daughters - or more likely `two versions´ of her daughter. Of course, her logical mind told her that this was bullshit.

Issei, however, was just observing Akeno in what seemed like silent curiosity. He had said nothing so far.

Now, however, he raised his hand.

"It is true," he stated. "She is a Devil, a reincarnated one. I sense the Evil Piece inside her. But I can also sense her Fallen Angel side and what is left of her human one." He turned his head to the others.

"Shirone," he addressed Koneko´s counterpart. "Would you take a look at her as well?"

The young Nekomata nodded.

"Of course Issei-sempai," she said respectfully.

A moment later, as she had used her senses to examine the stranger, she was looking surprised.

"Her - her energy, it is practically identical to Akeno´s. Except for that this one had been turned into a Devil, they actually feel like the same person," she stated.

"I thought the same thing," local Issei replied. "So you are either another version of Akeno Himejima," he turned to her, "or a very well made copy."

"Look," Akeno responded, "I just need a place to stay for a while, until my comrades have found me. You don´t have to trust me... or even to like me. But please, I have no idea where else I could go."

Issei was looking at her for a few moments silently, it seems he was thinking. Everyone´s eyes turned to him. It was clear that he would make the decision. Of course, this was his house after all.

But how she and her mother came to live with him, she didn´t knew.

The first thought that came to her mind was of course that they were both his lovers... and maybe Koneko´s and even Rias doubles as well.

The Issei she knew would have certainly been excited about having a big breasted mother-daughter duo in his bed.

But what about her father Baraquel? If they were now Issei´s lovers or not, why were they with him and not with her father. Had the attack of the Himejima Clan ever happened in this world.

This Issei here, however, didn´t make the impression that he was a pervert like her world´s. No - he seemed cool and collected, like their Issei was when he truly had his things together - or like his Exorcist counterpart.

But you couldn´t know for sure. The truth was, she didn´t care... much.

She would have gladly had her mother and herself being fucked by Issei, if that only meant she would still be alive in her world. Deep down, she actually caught herself, as she was actually a bit aroused at the thought. You are a bad girl Akeno, she thought to herself... a very bad girl.

"Okay," Issei´s counterpart finally said. "I think I know a place where you can stay. But don´t misunderstand, that doesn´t mean that we will simply trust you. We will have someone keep his eyes on you the entire time."

"Do you really think that is a good idea?" `Akeno´ asked him.

"Do you think it is a better one to let her run loose in the town - looking exactly like you?" he replied.

"Where do you think she could stay Issei-sempai?" Koneko - No, Shirone - asked him.

"With my assistant of course. She has an apartment in the town, after all, that is easily large enough for two or three people."

"Yes, that is a good idea," human Rias said with a smug grin, "let this bitch Raynare take care of her."

"She won´t be alone," Issei responded. "We will take turns in helping her to look out for `Akeno´ here."

Rias face was falling.

"Hold up, that means I have to live with... **her**?"

"Just a few hours a day," Issei responded.

"Well, that´s just great," human Rias commented sourly.

In the end she just shrugged with her shoulders and accepted Issei´s suggestion.

She turned to Akeno.

"Okay, I don´t pretend that I believe your crazy story," she told her. "But lets just say I would believe you. If you are Akeno from another world, you was the evil Devil who had turned ya´?" Rias asked curiously.

Akeno´s face fell. She wasn´t quite sure how to answer that question... and she admitted - at some level - she had to hold back her laughter.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _`Rias´ world_

Rias Gremory knew she was an idiot.

She downright **admitted** she was an idiot, at least to herself.

At this moment she was sitting in a jail cell. Ironically it was the same cell in that she and her peerage had locked up Freed Selzen not so long ago.

What the hell had she been thinking just showing up walking through the town like she owned it? Why had she not considered that her counterpart might mistake her for some kind of spy or assassin?

`Because you are arrogant,´ she told herself. `Your future-self was right. You are a spoiled girl, who believes deep down that everything will always go your way. And this is what you have gotten from your arrogance.´

The counterpart of Koneko was guarding her cell. She had tried to exchange a few words with the young Nekomata-Devil, but the double of her good friend was just ignoring her.

Her reaction, Rias admitted, was actually not any different than the one from the Koneko she knew would have been.

She had been sitting there for one, maybe two hours, as suddenly something happened.

The place was under attack. At first, she had heard shouts and loud noise from outside, that became louder and louder.

And then suddenly the door of her cell was blown open.

Two people stepped inside. She recognized them both. It was members of the Hero Faction of the Khaos Brigade, Siegfried and Jeanne. It was kind of ironic, since they had just first fought against each other and then briefly worked together in the last world she had visited.

Both of them were staring at her with open surprise as they saw `who´ was sitting in the cell.

"Now, who do we have here?" Siegfried said as he had caught himself.

"If I didn´t know completely sure where Rias Gremory is right now, I could swear that she was sitting here in her own cell," Jeanne commented.

"Who are you, Devil?" Siegfried asked her.

"I think you would not believe me if I told you," Rias responded quietly.

"Really? I can actually believe a lot, Devil," he said. "But I think I can guess why the Gremory-bitch had you locked up here. Didn´t want anyone who can pass off as her twin sister walk through `her´ town, right?"

Rias didn´t say anything, but the wince on her face gave him his answer.

"So who are you? Some kind of spy for the Old Maou Faction? Or just some unfortunate Devil girl who happened to have the wrong face?" he asked. "It doesn´t matter. I am sure Master Cao Cao and Hyoudou would like to talk with you as well," he said.

Hyoudou? Issei? she thought surprised.

As they brough her outside, she could see `Koneko´s´ dead body lying next to the door.

She forced herself to remember that this wasn´t her friend, not really.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _`Irina´s´ world_

She had finally found another small group of people who she saw as she was walking through a large park somewhere in the city, who she considered approaching for help.

One of them was a teenage boy, maybe in her own age and two girls who were standing close to him.

The first of the girls - and that was what dumbfounded her a bit - was another one of the identical looking clones. Though this one seemed somewhat stronger as the other ones she had sensed.

Merlin had suggested that maybe, this one here was the original.

The other one, who was sitting on a park bench while the other two were right now talking to each other, was a short, platinum blonde girl, who was clad in... a Nun-dress? Irina was a bit surprised at this. She admitted, from her appearance, the girl reminded her of Asia - a bit at least.

They were about thirty meters away from her, at the other side of the place.

`Why are you not going to them?´ she heard Merlin´s voice in her mind. `Yes, what exactly was she waiting for?´ she asked herself.

She had already been thinking about what she should say.

But then suddenly something happened that she hadn´t expected. A sharp wind suddenly blew up, it was more like a storm, strong and surprisingly enough to completely throw her from her feet and into the ground.

She didn´t know that, since she had arrived here, another being had noticed her... and was heading in her direction. This being had been in another part of the town at that time, but now...

As Irina lifted herself up again, she saw to her surprise, that the air all around her was still standing still. I was as if this win had only blown up for a single moment. And only at exactly the place where she had been standing as it seems, since the three people she had been watching from the distance seemed to be completely unaffected.

As she turned around in the direction where the sudden blow came from, she saw someone standing not far from her... another young man. He had a sleek body and white hair. And he was looking at her with a scowl and a cold expression.

"I have been looking for you," the stranger addressed her.

"M-me?" she asked.

"Don´t play dumb. I know about you. I might not know who you are. But I know you are `not from here´. I could sense you entering this world and I followed your trail since then," he stated.

"I don´t know why you came here, but your presence put us all in danger."

He began to form some kind of glowing energy-globe with his hands. But it wasn´t any kind of magic, so much she could tell.

One moment later he threw it at her. She managed to dodge and the attack impacted on the ground close to her. The resulting explosion told her, if it had hit her, she would have been done for. And the guy looked as if he was already ready to attack her again.

`Okay,´ she thought, `here goes nothing.´

She materialized her Excalibur and prepared to send a `flying slash´ at him. He had attacked her first and was clearly aiming to kill, she thought. No reason to hold back.

She unleashed her attack. The white haired boy made no attempt to dodge at all... and the attack hit him frontally.

But then she was met with a nasty surprise. In the moment her slash touched him, it was just... being sent back to her in full force.

Split-seconds later she could feel the sharp pain in her side. She had been hit by her own attack, she realized.

Not only had it done absolutely no damage, it had - for the lack of better words - `bounced off´ of him and thrown back right to her.

Irina was forcing herself to keep standing despite her injury.

What in the world was she supposed to do? she asked herself. How could she defend herself against such an opponent?

"I am sorry," he said to her, "But for all our safety... you have to die."

 **xxx**

Touma had spent the last two hours, taking a walk through the town, with his friend, the girl in the Nun clothes with the somewhat strange name `Index´. He had a few things to do at first, and then... he had just wanted to spend the rest of the time relaxing.

Somewhere on their way, they had met Mikoto-san and `somehow´ she had come to accompany them for the rest of their way.

Of course, like always it came to a few arguments between them... that meant in first line of course between him and Mikoto Misaka.

Index said very little for the most part, at least as long as Mikoto was around. From time to time she was staring at both of them, not always looking happy. And of course, she spoke up whenever she wanted to eat.

In other words, it was mostly like it had always been.

Finally, they were taking a break at the park.

But of course, he didn´t get to spend a quiet afternoon. Like so often in the past, things were turning bad really quickly.

A few moments later they heard the explosion close by.

As he, Mikoto and Index were running forward and looking for the source of the noise...

... they saw Accelerator fighting with a girl they had never seen before.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _`Kalawarner´s´ world_

Kalawarner had been walking around in the area of the destroyed school for some time, looking if she could find some more clues of what exactly happened. Unsurprisingly she didn´t find any.

The Devils - or whoever had cleaned the place up after the incident - had done a good job at removing all evidence of a supernatural involvement.

It was a few minutes later, however, that the Fallen Angel noticed that she was no longer alone.

In some distance a magic-circle shined up on the ground, that she had never seen before... and a few moments later two people had appeared.

Kalawarner felt their presence nearly instantly - especially one of them was frightening.

As she turned around to the source of the immense power, she was surprisingly met with the face of...

`Issei,´ she thought. But at the same time, all her senses were screaming at her that this wasn´t him. And not in the sense that this was just his counterpart from this reality.

No, his energy didn´t even feel human. And it was not Ddraig´s either. it was... something different.

"Hello, Fallen Angel," `Issei´ greeted her. He sounded friendly, but not too much, mostly impartial.

The second newcomer was a girl. She was wearing glasses and had shoulder long red hair with a few black strains in it, that she was wearing in twin ponytails. Her clothes consisted of a red and black colored shirt, black jeans and red leather boots.

She also seemed somewhat familiar to her, but she could not place it.

"I see you have an interest for the remains of the Highschool?" `Issei´ asked Kalawarner.

"Yes," she replied. "I didn´t know that the school had burned down," she replied.

"Not surprising," he replied casually. "You are `not from here´, right?" he asked.

"No." In the truest sense of the word, she thought.

"I thought so," he said.

The girl was only looking at her silently with a scowl on her face. It was clear that she didn´t exactly like her.

"Okay, why don´t we end this and speak openly," the Issei lookalike said to Kalawarner. "I know that you are not a regular Fallen Angel. In fact, I have sensed a tear in the structure of this universe, just at the place and at the same time when your energy suddenly appeared in Kuoh. The question is, what are your intentions? Are you some kind of threat?"

"I see," Kalawarner replied. "I don´t deny it. It is true, I came through this tear. Not intentionally. I was actually supposed to land somewhere else. But something went wrong. I just want to wait until my comrades have found me?"

"Okay," Issei stated calmly.

"You are also all but normal," Kalawarner responded," even for a supernatural being."

"You are right. I am not normal. And like you, my home is not exactly in this world. But if you truly have no hostile intentions, we have no problem with each other. But if you allow, I want to make sure."

Kalawarner felt a slight probing on her mind. He wanted to read her mind, she realized.

She just nodded. She needed help and after all, she truly had nothing to hide.

She felt his mental powers entering her mind. It was not exactly unpleasant, but strange. Normally this would have freaked her out, a stranger entering her thought. But he was so similar to Issei, she just couldn´t help but trust this being somewhat. And she knew she had no great choice if she wanted to earn his trust.

A few moments later, after probing her mind, `Issei´ was nodding back at her, looking satisfied.

"Do you really believe we can trust her?" the girl next to him asked.

"I have seen her thoughts Seria," he answered. "She is not an enemy. In fact, she doesn´t even want to be here."

"She is one of `them´," she said. "This is the same woman."

"No, she is not Seria," Issei replied. "She has no memory of what had happened to you... and even then, it was not `her´ who had attacked you, right?"

The girl now winced visibly. But the sharp glance at Kalawarner returned a moment later.

"Do you have a problem with me?" the Fallen Angel asked.

"A problem with you, why would I?" the girl replied with visible sarcasm. "Your kind has only attacked and nearly killed me, crippled me and left me help- and powerless. They had taken my friends and family from me, destroyed the place I have lived... is that reason enough for you?"

Issei layed a hand on her shoulder.

"You know this woman hadn´t done any of this," he told her softly. "She is not even from this world."

"Wait..." Kalawarner finally recognized her. She looked completely different from the last time she had seen her, but...

"Sona, Sona Sitri?" she asked.

The girl now grimaced painfully.

"Sona doesn´t exist anymore," she answered. "She died."

It was more than clear to Kalawarner that she didn´t mean this literally. But if she wanted it that way...

"I am Seria," Sona Sitri´s counterpart introduced herself stoically.

"Kalawarner," she responded with her own name.

"I - I wanted to ask. Could you help me? I just need a place to stay until my friends have found me. I promise I won´t be a bother. If you say no, I would have to return to the Grigory. But I just don´t know the situation there in this world."

"I understand. Well, I am sure we will find a place for you at my home," Issei´s double told her.

Kalawarner realized that she had just agreed to live with a complete stranger. But on the other side, technically everyone in this world was that.

"One last question," she said. "It is just, you look very much like someone I know. He is a human and a Sacred Gear user - Issei Hyoudou?"

"Hyoudou?" he repeated. "I understand. You could say I am him... and I am not. It is complicated. But I am not human, not really. And I have never been," he stated.

"I am a Dragon. But I was pretty much born in this human form. You can call me Issei as well," he said to the confused Kalawarner.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Issei´s home-universe, Italy - Rome_

It was an old building a few miles outside of the town. The building was a place that existed till the middle-ages. But barely anyone knew that it even existed.

In fact, most of it was underground. The entrance was camouflaged as an old ruin of an old church. But that was only a deception.

It was a prison... a secret jail where the Vatican was holding it´s most dangerous criminals.

But someone had found out the location of this place... and now it was under attack.

Figures - wearing red coats, with bizarre masks on their faces that were modeled after Demons, suddenly appeared out of magic circles, materializing right inside the underground complex. The magic wards that were surrounding the area were somehow not able to stop them... and they attacked without hesitation.

The first of the Exorcists who were guarding the place were already killed by magical blasts and orbs of energy and other attacks, moments after the strangers had appeared.

The rest of them were doing their best to hold them back, but the mysterious attackers were just too powerful.

Not only that, they all felt weakened, nearly as if something was robbing them of their power.

Less than five minutes later, the first cells of the prisoners were being opened.

One of them belonged to someone who had spent the last months here. He was currently clad in a straightjacket and chained to the wall.

But then his cell-door was being broke open. The man saw with a smile on his face how one of the Exorcists who were guarding him was being decimated.

And then the masked figures were cutting the chains and the jacket off his body he was only laughing.

"Freed Selzen," one of the strangers addressed him.

"Yes? I don´t get visitors often here. How do I deserve this honor?" he asked.

"We have come to make you an offer. We want you to join us."

"Oh really? Does that mean I would also have to walk around like this?" Freed asked sarcastically.

"No," the man replied. "We are only wearing this disguises for this one assault."

"Good. That alone would be a reason to refuse. So you want me to join your little group? And if I say that I prefer to work alone?"

"You should accept Father Freed." He heard a voice he recognized easily. "It will pay off for you. And besides, you are hardly in a good position to say no. You are right at the core of Church territory after all."

"Mittelt?" he asked surprised. "What in the world happened to you that you ended up like this?" He laughed loud.

She removed her own mask and revealed the face of the small Fallen Angel. She visibly winced at his words.

"Let us just say that I didn´t have a good time. Kind of like you."

"To answer your question," the first masked man addressed him again, "if you refuse, we go our separate ways from here on. You can fight your way out of here together with us, but then you will have to see how you get out of the Church territory by yourself.

If you accept, however... What would you say about a chance to kill more Devils than you have ever dreamed of. Not only that, but also gain access to a place where the Church could never reach you?"

Freed grinned.

"Well, that nearly sounds too good to be true, right?"

"It is true," the man responded. "You just have to make your choice. By the way..." He looked at one of the other masked beings and he gave Freed a sword and a gun, both weapons of an Exorcist, in his hands.

"A present for you," the man said. "No matter what choice you make. We just expect you to kill a few of our opponents on your way out."

Freed laughed once again.

"Really? How nice of you. I guess I can stand it with you for some time, so I will accept, at least for the time being."

"That is acceptable," the man replied. "I am Pazuzu. This group here are the Devil Hunters."

They, together with Freed and some of the other inmates who had joined them, were now facing the remaining guards who would be trying to keep them from escaping.

Less than 20 minutes later nobody would be left alive at this place and the group calling itself the `Devil Hunters´ would have disappeared from the face of the Earth.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Guardian Homeworld_

Issei had found a breach between the universes... in fact, not only one but two.

But one of them, he realized... was located in his own home-universe. Someone or something had just entered his reality.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Rias world_

She had been transported away by the two Khaos Brigade members to a place that she could only guess was their base, far away from any town, somewhere in the forests... and then dragged to another room, another cell.

`From one cell to another,´ she thought sarcastically.

They took a few blood samples from her and made a few tests. Then they left her alone.

Another two hours or so later, they came again and brought her into some kind interrogation room.

Inside she was confronted not only with her double, who was chained to a chair, but also with the sight of Cao Cao... and Issei.

But it was clearly not either of the Issei´s she had met. He was wearing some kind of black leather combat suit and the cold and disgusted look he sends to her as he saw her made her literally freeze inside.

The Issei she knew was her friend - despite everything what happened between them - but this one here, he was clearly not.

Her double was glaring at her as well as they placed her roughly on another chair next to her. But it was nothing compared to the way this Issei looked at her.

"Now, what do we have here?" Cao Cao asked smugly.

"It is kind of strange," his Second in Command Georg - or whatever rank he had in this world - told him. "As it looks they are in fact identical in every way. The blood samples we have taken, their energy signature, even the way they are talking. By all rights they are both Rias Gremory."

"Isn´t that nice Issei-kun?" Cao Cao said him, who only had a grim look on his face. "I promised you Gremory and now you get two for the price of one."

"I only want to see her die," he finally responded.

"Okay - okay, I admit it," Rias double called out, "I am not the real Rias Gremory. I was send by the Old Satan Faction to take her place and had her locked up a few days ago. Please, I have nothing to do with this, just let me go."

Issei just punched her in the face.

"Shut your mouth filthy Devil," he hissed. "I have enough of your lies once and for all. Just shut up."

Rias couldn´t say she felt bad for her counterpart. Bitch, she thought - first she had her imprisoned without even a trial and then she was trying to throw her under the bus to save her own ass.

"You thought I had died, didn´t you? You thought you got rid of me, right? That was exactly what I wanted you to think," Issei said dangerously. "I will kill you slowly. I will let you suffer, just like you deserve it."

"Why are you doing this?" Rias asked him quietly.

"You dare to ask me that?" Issei growled. He grabbed her roughly by the chin.

"Please - I am not the Rias you know. I don´t know what had happened."

Issei just nodded.

Then, without a warning, he kicked her painfully against the legs.

"I have enough of this game," he called out. "I don´t know who of you is the real Rias and I don´t care. I will just torture both of you to death. It only means I have the pleasure to see you die **twice**."

He was insane, Rias started to realize. He didn´t even bother to make a difference between her and her counterpart.

"You want me to remind you?" Issei ranted. "Good, let me tell you a little story. It was once, not so long ago, that I was just a simple human boy. Okay, I was a known pervert and more than anything, I wanted to get a girlfriend.

Until then, some day, a girl that I had never seen before suddenly asked me out. She called herself Yuuma Armano, but like I later found out, that was not her real name. Then, a few days later, we spend our first date together. It was a nice time actually," he said melancholically.

"But then... she acted somewhat awkward in the end and told me suddenly that she wasn´t sure if she could see me again and just left.

A few days later, however, I got a letter, a message from her that she wanted to see me again and to go to an old abandoned house at the edge of the town to meet her.

As I went there, however, I died. The house, as it turned out, was the hideout of a monster, a Stray Devil that was hiding in the town.

I had been sent to my death." He laughed bitterly.

"But it was not the end. I awoke sometime later and a short time later met with a girl who just told me outright that she was now my Master. She told me that she and her peerage had just come to kill the Stray who had killed me... and that she had `saved´ me at the last moment by turning me into a Devil.

She told me a lot. She explained to me about the Supernatural World, the Three Factions, the Devils and the Fallen Angels. Of course only as much as I `needed´ to know.

She also told me that my girlfriend Yuuma was, in fact, a Fallen Angel with the task to kill me. I was devastated about this of course.

But she also promised me many things. A harem of girls, the chance to become a High Class Devil... I was so stupid," he spat.

"A few days later we went to attack the Fallen Angels, who were in a abandoned church just outside of the town. What I found inside was Yuuma - or Raynare, as her true name was - having bound a girl that I had never seen before and trying to extract her Sacred Gear.

I cam just in time to stop her... and we fought. Then, a short time later, as we were both exhausted from our fight, I finally asked her... why - why had she send me to a death trap...

... and imagine my surprise when she had not the slightest idea what I was talking about," he sneered. "She admitted that she had actually been planning to kill me in the beginning and then she had not brought it on herself to do it. I suddenly realized that she had no reason to send me to the Stray Devil, when she could have just as easily killed me on the date before," he pointed out.

"Then I finally realized who had truly sent me this message."

Rias felt cold like ice, she felt how her jaw dropped and turned her gaze slowly to her counterpart.

No, she couldn´t have.

Suddenly Issei´s words from their confrontation in their club-room went through her head. How much of a step was there between what she did... and this.

"It wasn´t me. Don´t you understand? It wasn´t me who had done that," Rias pleaded.

But Issei backhanded her across the face.

"Silence Devil," he snarled. "I don´t want to hear anything out of your rotten mouth. Where have I been? Oh yes...

... and then you suddenly showed up," Issei continued. "You just showed up and acted as if you owned the place. You revealed that you had already killed the other Fallen Angels. And then you killed her, when we were both exhausted and couldn´t fight anymore. And I could do nothing but stand by and watch.

And after all that you dared to tell me that I was still your servant and I had to follow you.

But I got away from you later. I had ejected the Evil Pieces from my body, even if it had nearly killed me. But I survived by having Ddraig turn me into a Dragon... and now, you will pay for everything you have done."

* * *

 **Here is the start of Arc 4. The lost members of Issei´s group are now having smaller side-storylines, as shown in this chapter.**

 **Irina for example is in a world that is a variation of the Anime "A certain magical index".**

 **Rias is in a world where Issei has joined the Khaos Brigade... and her own counterpart in this reality might be a far darker version of herself.**

 **Akeno is in a reality where Rias is for some reason human (will exlained later) and also in other way completely different from her usual selves.**

 **Kalawarner´s was so far only shown in a few glympses.**

 **Side-note: Accellerator´s power in canon is based on `Vector Manipulation´, meaning it can manipulate physical movements. This makes him practically invulnerable to regular attacks, since everything is simply redirected from his skin.**

 **The `energy´ globe he had thrown at Irina in this chapter is formed by him by using his powers to compress air molecules to turn it into plasma and use it as a weapon. He had actually done this in the Anime.  
**


	26. Chapter 26: Rias worst Nightmare

**Chapter 26**

 _Irina´s world_

Irina wasn´t quite sure what she could do anymore.

The ki-manipulation technique she had learned from the Guardians, the one that allowed someone to negate supernatural powers?

She had already tried it.

But this guy was simply too strong for it to work. Not only that, she had the impression that he was using the same or a similar technique as well.

Who in the world was this boy? An agent of the enemy?

"Accellerator!" she heard someone calling out. "What the hell are you doing?" It was the young man she had seen from the distance.

The white haired boy turned around to them with a scowl on his face.

`Damn it,´ he thought to himself. He had not expected them to be here or anyone close by.

"Stay back," he told them.

"Why are you fighting this girl?" the girl named Misaka asked him.

"I said stay out of this. You don´t know who she is. This girl is a threat to all of us."

Irina heard all of this.

"A threat? How can I be a threat if I don´t even know who you are?" she called out. "I just walked through the town and you suddenly attacked me."

The white haired by visibly grimaced.

"Your presence here alone... is a threat," he said... and send another ball of plasma at Irina.

This time she used her Excalibur to block the attack.

That turned out to be not the best idea. While the blade stopped the unleashed energy, it caused an explosion that caught her and threw her from her feet once again.

She once again used her ki to shield her body. If she had been at the same level like a few months earlier, this explosion alone would have probably killed her. Not even talking about this guy´s actual attacks.

To that came the fact that she was not even able to harm this opponent in any way. She was beyond screwed. She was helpless like a baby.

"I said you should leave it." The other boy had now stepped forward and confronted Accelerator. Irina saw that he had his right hand reached out like some sort of weapon. But she could not feel any sort of energy radiating from it.

"I don´t know what is wrong with you. This girl has absolutely no interest to harm any of us," he said.

Accelerator only grimaced at his words.

"Is this another sick experiment you decided to take part in?" the brown haired girl who looked exactly like the four clones she had met earlier, asked him angrily.

"No," the white haired boy replied, now looking somewhat shaken. "Believe me, I have learned my lesson about that."

"Then what the hell is going on?" the girl named Mikoto Misaka asked him. "Why do you suddenly claim this girl is a threat and try to kill her?"

"You wouldn´t believe me if I told you," he responded.

"Try it," Touma told him. "Unless you want to fight us as well... again."

"There is someone who will come after her... and they would not hesitate to destroy the entire town... or worse," Accelerator stated.

"So you want to kill her over something someone else might do?" Touma asked angry. "And I thought you had changed."

"It isn´t that. I am trying to protect us all, damn it."

"By killing an innocent girl?" Touma asked.

"You know he has beaten you before," Misaka claimed smirking. Some sort of electricity was crackling all around her body. Of course, Irina remembered. Those two had some sort of powers, even if they were not necessarily supernatural in origin.

"Not by himself," Accelerator stated.

"He **is not** by himself," Misaka said, taking place next to Touma.

The girl in the Nun clothes joined them as well a moment later.

"I agree with Touma-san and Mikoto," she told him, "stop this."

"Now, will you finally calm down and **talk** to us?" Touma asked him, "or are you seriously going to fight us all at once?"

"Okay." Accelerator finally gave in. "I think there is a lot I should explain to you," he said.

"Hey," the dark haired boy addressed Irina, "My name is Kamijou Touma. I apologize for our friend here. Please calm down."

"I would hardly call him a friend," the girl next to him commented.

"Irina Shidou," she introduced herself in western style. "Your name is Misaka, right?"

"How do you know that?" the girl asked.

"A good guess..?" Irina tried weakly... the brown haired girl only kept frowning at her. "Okay, I have seen four girls in the town, who looked exactly like you and constantly said this."

"I see," Misaka replied. "So you have already met the `Little Sisters´.

"This is Index," Touma introduced the small Nun.

"Index? What kind of name is that?" Irina wanted to know. `Not that Accelerator was any better,´ she thought.

"That is a long story."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Homeworld of Issei´s Guardian team_

Issei and his group had just returned to their home-dimension from the Guardian´s universe.

They had been gone only a few hours this time. So their had been no reason to come up with an excuse for him or Murayama´s parents, like with their last journey.

In another half hour or so, he would return to them... and act as if he had only been going out with his friends.

 **xxx**

Talking about friends. He also had a short talk with Matsuda and Motohama, who he had met just outside the school... just before his visit to the Guardian HQ. They had wanted to watch porn together and wanted to invite him along.

Of course he had to decline. He had told them that they had important business for their new club, that he had to take care of.

Yes, the business was that half of them were missing, he thought bitterly.

They had not been happy of course, but he had promised them that they would watch an entire marathon together when this was over if they wanted.

 _"You have changed Issei,"_ Motohama had told him. _"Before you got these girls, you always had time for your friends."_

Yes, he had changed Issei thought. More than they could ever understand... unless of course he told them the truth as well. He knew from his future-counterpart, that in his world, Matsuda and Motohama had found out about him and the Supernatural as well. But only when everyone else did.

 **xxx**

"Are you okay Issei-kun?" the same Murayama asked him right now.

She was sitting next to him on the couch inside their team´s mansion.

"I have been thinking about my parents," he said. "I am sick of lying to them the entire time. About all this here."

"I understand. To be honest, I know how you feel," she replied.

"So you will tell them all what happened?" Raynare, who was sitting close to them in an armchair in her `Yuuma-form´ asked him. "Everything?"

"You mean if I will tell them why exactly I had to have been resurrected in the first place?" he asked pointedly. "I guess I will have to. I don´t longer want to lie to them."

In this moment Xenovia came running into the room.

"Issei, there is something you need to know. "My and Irina´s superiors in the Church had just contacted us," she said. "You won´t believe it."

"Just tell me," Issei responded. "I think there is hardly anything that can surprise me anymore."

"Okay. Well, we are invited to the Vatican," Xenovia stated. "You, me... and all the members of our team, well the ones who are still here," she said sadly. " - the Fallen Angels and Devils included."

The others were looking at her with open mouths for a split-second.

"Moment," Raynare asked, " **we** are invited to the Vatican?"

"Yes. As it seems there had been an incident in Rome and they want to talk with you about it. And before you ask Raynare, yes - they are completely aware that you and Gaeriel are Fallen Angels and that Kiba is a Devil."

"I see. Something else?" Issei asked. "Or are this enough shocking news for today."

"Ah, well, yes," Xenovia answered with some strange discomfort. "About this meeting you had with our other selves. There has something come up. We just got a message from Sona´s office and..."

"Yes?"

"Ahm, as it seems, Raynare is pregnant."

"What?" Raynare and Murayama cried out nearly at the same time.

Issei was only starring at her with open mouth.

"I am not," the Fallen Angel called out.

"The other Raynare," Xenovia clarified - smirking a bit. "She had just found out today."

"This is not funny," the Fallen Angel growled, while Murayama was now actually giggling a bit.

"That is not everything," Xenovia continued, looking down at him. "... It seems me and Irina are pregnant as well."

"What?" Issei called now out in complete shock. "Does Kiba know about this?"

"The **other** Irina and me," Xenovia said once again. "They had been for a while now. That was actually the reason they had not been with us during our fight with the SHA."

"Wow, it seems your counterpart has truly hit the jackpot." Raynare was chuckling now.

"To be honest, the way you are doing it with your girls nearly every night, I am surprised that you all aren´t already knocked up as well," Murayama commented drily.

"Till now we have been using magic to prevent this," Raynare stated. "That doesn´t mean that I don´t want a few babies with you Issei-kun," she side-commented. "But it seems our counterparts don´t longer do this.

And we all know that you are destinied to land in bed with Issei-kun as well sooner or later," she told her slyly. "So you should better prepare yourself, just in case." She chuckled.

"Whatever, I promise at the time when I can no longer resist Issei´s `incredible charm´, I will let you all know," Murayama replied.

"Say, if they are pregnant - do you think their breasts will get bigger?" Issei asked with a grin. But then his expression changed and he thought once again at the members they were missing.

They had found some leads, the breaches they had detected at some universes. They would beginn with their search tomorow. But now they also had this strange invitation by the Church.

If he was honest... even if the Pope himself wanted to talk with them, his teammates had first priority.

 **xxx**

He remembered what his future-counterpart had told him. A link telepathis and supernatural connection had been created between himself, Raynare and Rias... and later they had included their Irina into this connection as well.

It had originally started as Raynare had used the Soul Bonding with Issei, back when Rias had tried to kill her - later Rias was bonded to them as a side effect of a curse Loki had put on them - and finally they had included Irina by their own choice.

... After the had arrived here, they had copied and tranferred this connection to their selves from this universe - **them**. Because they believed it could be very useful to them at one point.

This point had come faster then anyone of them had expected.

And now this connection could - according to his counterpart - help him to find them.

Of course the mental connection wasn´t strong enough to actually locate them over several universes. But if they only concentrated on the worlds, where they already had detected dimensional breaches, it would be enough to give them a hint if their friends were their or not.

The problem was it wouldn´t help them to find Kalawarner or Akeno.

For them, they would have to just continue searching in the regular way.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Rias world_

"I have been thinking a long time, what should I do with you?" Issei stated as he looked at the two Rias. "Simply death is not enough, wouldn´t you agree?" he asked them smoothly.

"So I think we should make it something special. But that doesn´t mean that I will give you a chance to escape."

The two Rias were shackled with magical enhanced handcuffs to a couple of chairs, while Issei was slowly walking around them as he talked.

"There are so many possibilities," he pondered, "burning, crucifying, skinning alive, holy water. There are so many things we can do together and we have soo much time."

Rias listened in horror at what he `considered´ doing to them.

"I have however one last question before we beginn," `Issei´ mentioned.

He raised one of his hands, holding something in it.

"Tell me, what is **this**?" he asked.

It was the control-device for the dimensional portals, she had been carrying, Rias realized. Damn it.

Of course they had found it on her.

"It - It is an techno-magical radio recorder," Rias said unconvincingly.

Issei was now looking at her with a look of what nearly looked like pity.

"You know," he said, "For a Devil, you are a terrible liar." He backhanded her once again. "You know here in the Khaos Brigade we have magicians, technicians and techno-magicians at hand... and none of them we had contacted had ever seen a device like this before. So again, tell me, what is this?" he asked more threatingly.

"Well, it doesn´t matter, " he stated one moment later. "I am sure my personal friend will be able to find out more."

"Personal friend?" Rias asked.

"Have you not wondered how we have managed to breach your security so easily?" Cao Cao questioned. "Or perhaps you wouldn´t, since you are not the real Rias Gremory and spend the entire battle in this cell," he remarked. "We have in fact been in contact with someone who had a close eye on your territory for a while now. And he was all too happy for a chance to see you fall."

"Who?" Rias double asked.

This caused a cold smile to form on Issei´s lips.

"Finally," he said grinning, "the snake has revealed itself," he stated happily at her direction. "It is you, isn´t it... **Buchou**?"

Rias couldn´t see it... but a look of horror came over her counterpart´s features, as she realized that she had just accidentally revealed herself to him.

"Please. I - it wasn´t me. You have to believe me. It was Raynare, she..." But she was cut off.

Rias heard a cracking noise and then a loud yelling scream, in her own voice.

She realized that Issei had just one or more of her other self´s fingers. She felt as if she was going sick.

"Never - never say this name again in my presence," Issei said, his voice cold like steel.

This was followed by another scream. Rias didn´t even wanted to know what he had done to hurt her double this time.

"Oh, you don´t need to worry," he then told her counterpart in a soft mocking tone. "You know I had been planning to kill **both** of you anyway. But now I will be able to let you suffer the most and I will be truly sure that it is you, isn´t that wonderful?"

"Please - I am sorry. I am sorry," `Rias´ pleaded.

"Yes, I know. I know you are sorry," `Issei´ said in a soft tone, "and you will be even more - much much much more."

Rias heard another crack and another scream from her counterpart.

"I see you are having fun," Cao Cao commented. "Me, Jeanne and Siegfried will leave now."

The other two members of the Hero Faction looked more than slightly disturbed at the sight of what Issei was doing. But none of them said anything.

Cao Cao for that matter was acting cool and relaxed, as if he didn´t care at all.

"There is other business we have to deal with," he told him. "Now, as we have delivered Rias Gremory to you as promised, I trust you that we can count on your assistence in the future as well."

"Of course of course, you can count on me for your plans," Issei replied - still paying more attention to the Devil he was busy torturing.

"Then we will contact you when the next mission takes place Issei." With this words he and his two elite-fighters teleported away, leaving only Issei, the couple of guards and the two captived behind.

"Finally alone," Issei remarked, smiling coldly.

"It is a dream come true, isn´t it Rias? Now now Buchou, you aren´t getting tired, aren´t you?" he said in mock concern as he saw the tormented Devil close to passing out.

"We can not let that happen, after all there is so much more we can do together... Bring the other prisoner," he finally ordered.

The two guards followed his words and a minute later, they led another person inside. It was a small blonde haired girl. Rias realized to her surprise that it was Asia.

"Ah, the little Devil-Nun," Issei greeted her, "or was it Nun-Devil? Now Asia, would you do what you are good for and please heal her?" He pointed to `Rias´.

"No," Asia replied.

"No?" he asked with mock surprise.

"You will only hurt them more if I do," she said.

"Really? I guess you are right. I will. But you see, they deserve it."

"That is not true," Asia called out. "Rias-oneesama has brought me back to life. She has taken me in..."

"You are a naive and stupid girl, aren´t you?" he said in a soft and deceptively friendly voice. "I guess I can not really blame you. You have grown up as a pampered pet of the Church after all. Well, I had once been not much better," he said with a glare at both Rias.

"The truth is, your so called friend Rias never cared about you. I was there, you know - as Rias had brought you back. All what she truly showed interest in was your Sacred Gear."

"No, she wouldn´t..."

"She could and she had," he responded. "Just like with me. Only in opposite to you I had enough common sense to realize what she had done," he stated.

"Rias-sempai...?" Asia asked.

"Why do you even ask her?" Issei hissed. "She had not been honest with you the entire time you knew each other. Why should she tell you the truth **now**?" he said. "Do you know why she had done nothing about the Fallen Angels earlier? She had known about them for nearly a week.

Because she had hoped that Raynare would kill me. And as she didn´t, she just went out and did it herself," he stated angrily. "You my dear were just collateral damage... And now heal her," he said.

This time the shaken Asia didn´t refuse to follow his command.

"I am sorry," she said to both versions of Rias.

Her Master was only glaring at her, while Rias herself looked at her insecure.

"That - that is all. I will not longer help you," Asia told him.

"If that is you wish," `Issei´ stated casually.

He suddenly materialized a sword in his hand.

Rias had seen this trick before from the Issei she knew. He had stored it in the same place as his Sacred Gear. She sensed that this was a demonic weapon. But she did not recognize it.

Rias then watched in horror as it cut through Asia´s throat.

"No," she shouted.

She was starring at both, Issei and the dead body.

"How - how could you do that? She was your friend."

"You sound amazingly caring, for a Rias Gremory. Are you sure that whoever has copied you has not messed up?" he asked sarcastically.

"Beside that - what brings you to the idea that I and this girl were friends? I have not even known the little bitch before the died. And after your double had turned her into her pet, I had spoken to her as little as possible.

And anyway, I have done her a favor by freeing her from this pitiful existence," he commented.

"Clean this up," he said coldly to the two guards, as he was gesturing for them to remove Asia´s body.

"You are a monster," Rias exclaimed.

"Like you," he responded. "Rias Gremory - liar, betrayer, murderer, backstabber... whore."

"How do you dare calling me that?" Rias double now called out.

"Na na **Ria-tan** ," he said, using the nickname her brother was usually calling her, "we both know it is true. Do you remember the time you came into my room unannounced and begged me to take your viginity... only since you hoped there was a slight chance that you could worm your way out of your marriage with that idiot Raiser?" he reminded her.

"And then, as you saw that I wasn´t interested, you had the gall to offer me my freedom in exchange for beating Raiser in a fight... only to break your word later."

He slapped Rias double another time.

Issei remembered.

 **xxx**

He remembered how he thought against that blasted Phenex. He had even sacrificed his arm to Ddraig and used holy water.

All that just to get away from her.

The bitch had even implied during their meeting at that night... after he rejected her - that something `might happen´ to his family, if he wasn´t willing to fight for her.

"You know," she had said to him, "Kuoh can be such a dangerous place... and you never know, without the protection of us Devils. Just fight for me Issei-kun and I promise your parents will be save."

So he fought, with all he had.

... and in the end he won, barely.

Only for the bitch to thank him for his `loyalty´ and declare him her `beloved pawn´ and part of her peerage and her family for all time, in front of dozens of High Class Devils.

He had wanted nothing more than just to rip her apart right then and there. But around all these Devils - including her damned brother - this would have been suicide.

But in the night he had finally ejected his Evil Pieces - at the risk of his own life. For that he had made a pact with Ddraig, to turn not only his arm, but his entire body into that of a Dragon.

And he had survived.

Then he had grabbed his parents and practically dragged them out of Kuoh, as far away as possible from... her.

At the same night however, he had also sworn bloody revenge.

 **xxx**

And now he was finally here to get it.

"You know `Ria-tan´, even I find that low... and I had been a proud pervert for most of my life. Until I met **you**. You know, you both have an impressive set of assets, but I wouldn´t touch either of you for all the money in the world."

Before one of them could say anything else, a magic circle appeared before them on the floor.

"Ah, it seems our friend has arrived," Issei stated.

Both Rias were now starring in complete shock at the figure that materialized in the room before them.

"Azazel," they both called out, nearly at the same time.

"You are with them?" `Rias´ asked the leader of the Fallen Angels from her world.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Irina´s world_

They all had just heard Accelerator´s insane story. The boy named Touma and the girls Misaka and Index were now looking at him as if he had lost his mind.

"Other dimensions?" the boy who had introduced himself as Touma asked incredulous.

"A group of practically allmighty beings who can destroy our world?" Misaka asked equally sceptical.

"No, it is true," Irina said now weakly. All eyes turned to her.

"I have arrived here by accident."

"Yes, of course," Misaka commented. "Accelerator was never really normal. Have you talked this nonsense into him?"

Irina made a decision

"It seems there is only one way to convince you." She lifted her arm. "This is the control-device for our portals." She showed them the controller she was carrying... and then activated a portal right in front of them.

They all were starring in complete silence at the wormhole that had just been opened in the space of their universe.

"Are you stupid? Shut that off," Accelerator yelled at her a moment later and grabbed for the controller in her hand.

But before he had taken it, Irina had already closed the portal by herself.

"Why...?"

"You idiot, do you know what you have done?" Accelerator hissed. "The risk was already great enough when you entered our world in the first place. You have just doubled the chance of **them** noticing it."

"Ah, who are them?" Touma asked.

"You mean... the Lords?" Irina asked.

"Yes."

"Lords?" Index asked confused.

"They are the leaders of an organization called the Dark Order," Irina stated. "They are our enemies. I guess you have met them."

"I did," Accelerator replied. "To be honest, it wasn´t exactly a pleasent experience. It was one of the only two times I had been beaten. But in opposite to the time against you with the help of the Sisters, it hadn´t been close. To be honest, I had been thrown around like a ragdoll."

"What? But aren´t you like invulnerable?" Misaka asked.

"That is exactly the point. During the fight, it was suddenly as if my powers were not even there. And I am not talking about something like Touma here, who can negate powers with his hand."

Irina realized now what the boy had been doing earlier.

"It was as if they were completely gone," Accelerator continued. "Not even I myself are able to shut down my power. But he was."

"Why had nobody noticed anything about this fight?" Touma asked.

"Quite simple, because it didn´t happen ín our world. One of these portals appeared right before me and I was basically kidnapped. As you can guess, I wasn´t all too happy and attacked him.

But he beat the shit out of me. But that was not everything. He was inside my head, he showed me things, terrible things - he showed me that they could destroy our world many times over. Then he made me an offer."

"An offer? that - that sounds like crazy," Misaka replied. "I mean, we all might have this superpowers - even Touma in some way." She gave a side-look to the boy. "But we are still just teenagers. And you talk here about someone destroying the world as if it is normal?"

"You can believe me, for this people it is... and you can say I have made a pact with the Devil... only worse."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Guardian Issei´s world - Rome_

Issei´s incomplete team, currently consisting of 4 humans, 2 Fallen Angels and 2 Devils, was in this moment walking through the corridors of the Vatican.

"If someone had told me I would be here some day... and as an invited guest," Ravel commented.

"Well, I have to admit, I had also never imagined that I would ever come here of all places," Issei responded. "My family was never great with religion, you know?"

"Issei Hyoudou and a Devil are walking together right into the heart of the Church - both discussion that they had never expected to be here," Murayama replied with some sarcasm. "The only question is who had expected it **less**."

They were being led to a large conference room, where a group of people was waiting for them.

They knew instantly that one of them wasn´t human. They had felt it already in the corridor - it was the aura of an Angel.

"Xenovia," a quite beautiful woman in a Nun outfit greeted her.

"Sister Griselda," she replied.

"We have heard what happened to Irina," the woman said.

"She had gone missing during out last mission," Xenovia explained, "but..."

"But we will find her very soon," Issei stated with complete conviction.

"Issei, I have told you about Sister Griselda," Xenovia said. "Issei Hyoudou, the leader of our team."

"It is a honor to meet you," Griselda told him.

"It is the same for me Griselda-san," he replied.

In front of them was a line of four people sitting at a table. The first was a blonde young man. Then two older men, both in the robes of cardinals. And a young looking, very beautiful blonde woman. They all could sense that she was the Angel - a very powerful one.

But it wasn´t that, what at the first moment caught Issei´s attention... it was the size of her breasts. They were even bigger than Raynare´s or Xenovia´s, maybe even more than Rias or Akeno´s.

`Okay okay,´ he thought, `get a hold on yourself. Remember where you are. It wouldn´t be good if you caused an incident because you were caught starring at the breasts of an Angel - certainly not.´ To his luck, nobody seemed to have noticed.

"May I introduce," Griselda said, turning to Issei´s friends, "Dulio Gesualdo - the currently strongest Exorcist in the Church and wearer of the Longinus Zenith Tempest." Issei, Raynare and Gaeriel had already met Dulio once, shortly after the Peace Agreement... and of course Xenovia and Irina had as well, having been Exorcists for years.

"Former Exorcist Cardinal Vasco Strada," Griselda continued, "Cardinal Paulo Azetti... and Lady Gabriel - one of the four Great Seraphs of Heaven."

"We are honored to meet you all," Issei stated.

"May we ask why you have invited us... and why one of the Seraphs is here in person?" Gaeriel wanted to know.

"There had been an incident a few hours ago," Cardinal Strada begann. "The information you are given now is actually top-secret. But since your organization has always been a loyal and trustworthy ally for over a century, you are trusted with it as well."

"Even if your choice in recruits is sometimes questionable," Cardinal Azetti commented, looking at Ravel, Kiba and Raynare.

"We are not here to talk about this," Strada cut him off. "The incident I am talking of was an attack of an secret Church installation several miles outside of this town. This installation... is a prison. This secret prison has been build especially to hold some of the most dangerous criminals, Stray Priests and heretic that rose from inside the Church," he explained.

"A few hours ago, unknown attackers with supernatural powers have attacked the installation, killed all the guard present and freed a number of prisoners. Right afterwards, this attackers and the inmates they freed disappeared from the face of this world"

"I and Dulio have personally examined the remains of the fight," Gabriel herself spoke up, "and we have found no sign how the attackers managed to escape - no trails, no signs of teleportation, at least non known to us," she stated.

"But there were leftovers of some kind of supernatural energy, one that is **unknown** to us. And, like Cardinal Strada has said, the attackers disappeared from the face of the world - at least of **this** world."

Issei remembered that there had been a dimensional breach in **their own** world, they had detected just a short time ago.

"I guess you understand now we we are asking your organization for help," Dulio pointed out.

"You think the attackers came from another reality," Gaeriel stated.

"We at least consider the possibility," Gabriel answered.

"There is another thing you should know," Dulio said, "one of the prisoners they freed and who were not found under the dead... was Freed Selzen."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Rias world_

"Do you know what my brother will do when he finds out that you are working with these terrorists?" Rias double asked him in a threatening tone.

"Well, there is the problem with your statement Miss Gremory," Azazel told her smiling. "How exactly would he know? You will be dead after all."

"Why are you doing this?" Rias asked him.

"Hmm, I must say I have not expected this as you have told me the story," Azazel said to Issei, ignoring her question. "They really seem both completely identical."

"They not only seem to, they are, right down to their DNA," Issei informed him. "We have already confirmed that."

"You mean some sort of clone?"

"Maybe, or something else. This is the device I wanted to show you." He held up the control-device to him. "I have never seen something like this before."

"Interesting indeed. Let me take a look at it," Azazel said.

"To answer your question." he turned to the two Devils. "Did you really think I would just let you get away with slaughtering a team of my people? And then trying to justify it with flimsy excuses and **lies**? All that only to cover your own dirty trails," the Fallen Angel leader questioned dangerously.

"Not to mention that, with your actions you did your best to to sabotage the chance of peace I had worked for, for so long," he stated.

The anger in his voice was now clearly to hear. Something very unusual for the Azazel Rias knew. But this wasn´t the Azazel of her world, she reminded herself.

 **xxx**

Rias suddenly asked herself just how things would have developed in her world if she had actuall realized her own plans for Issei... would she have truly started a fight with Raynare´s group afterwards? - how would Azazel have reacted? Would she have ended up in a situation similar like this?

She knew from her future-counterpart, that in her universe he had been cooperating with them for the sake of the peace... and even became somewhat of a friend to some of them over time, especially their Issei.

But there was no guaranty that the Azazel of her own world would have been the same.

And why in the world was she only **now** giving a thought about this and the possible consequences?

Was she truly this selfish, careless, arrogant and irresponsible? Once again she was asking herself how much she and her other self actually had in common.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Somewhere else... far away from their universe  
_

Meanwhile in one of the countless other universes - on Earth, in the local version of the town Los Angeles, the Guardian leader known as Darien was on his way to meet an old acquaintance.

It was late evening, the sun had set a couple of hours before... and he was walking - in his human original form - through the streets of the city - seemingly only another of the millions of people living in the town.

He had been in this reality many times before. It was one of the first worlds the Guardians had discovered after they gained the ability to travel between dimensions.

This was Universe 003. It was the home of Kal El - a.k.a Superman - the holy vengeance-spirit Spectre and the rest of their sub-group.

This universe was different than their new recruit Issei Hyoudou´s world. It was what both the Guardians and the Dark Order called a mainline universe.

Like in Darien´s own home, the Creation Force that had created all realities and that the Guardians were ultimately serving, had here decided to play the role of God himself - instead to forge a Avatar or placeholder to do it for him.

This played a great role in his curent situation, because the person he intended to meet was an Angel. But since he was created by God´s real self, he was stronger than any Angel in Issei´s world could ever hope to be.

For a time he had been one of their greatest enemies, Darien remembered. Even if he had never been all too enthusiastic about the role he had been playing.

But they had also been cooperating and working together at one or two instances. But he was far from being a friend. And he was definitely not completely trustworthy. But you could depend on him keeping his word.

The relationship between them had always been a bit, well complicated.

And the last time he had heard about him, he had abandoned his place at the side of the Darkness and had declared himself to be neutral... and his intention to stay it.

Finally he had arrived at the place where his contacts informed him the being he was looking for currently resided.

A small smile formed on his lips as he recognized the place.

It was a nightclub.

It was kind of ironic. But in some ways he thought he should not be surprised.

It was actually a quite comforting looking place, he thought as he passed the entrance.

"Good evening," a waitress greeted him, after he went inside and sat down at an empty table. "Can I do something for you?"

"You can," Darien said, smiling at her. He handed the woman a fifty Dollar note.

"Could you please tell the owner that his old friend Keiran is her and wants to talk to him? It is important," he asked, using one of his old aliases - the one he had used as they had met the last time.

A few minutes later he was greeted by the appearance of a young looking, cheerful seeming man, wearing a grey suit. He had short dark hair, very good looking and quite charming for everyone around. But Darien knew all too well about the steel will, the intelligence, the cunning and the pride, that was often present behind this exterior... and the power.

"Keiran," the man greeted him happily, "it is so nice to see you again. How long ago has it been?"

"For me, around 200 years," Darien whispered. "but for you it might be different. You know, when you constantly travel between worlds, you can loose your sense of time."

The man only gave a short laugh.

"Would you please give us something to drink?" he asked the waitress. "How about it, something from the old homeland?" he asked.

Darien nodded, while the owner just gave her their order and she left quickly to get their drinks.

"By the way, I go by the name Darien currently," he stated.

"Oh yes, I remember - your little group changes their names like other people their shirts - right Galahad?" the man commented smiling.

"You are one to talk. How many things are you called, in how many worlds?" Darien remarked.

"I guess it is too much even for me to remember," he replied, still smiling.

"Prince of Darkness, the Morningstar, Devil, Lord of Hell, **The** Fallen One - some even call you Satan, even if you are not the only being wearing this title - Lucifer," Darien adressed him.

"Let us stop with the small talk," the man stated. "Why are you here?"

"I understand that you are still neutral."

"I am," Lucifer replied. "So if you are trying to get me to help you in the war - forget it. But I also won´t fight for the other side. I just wanted to get away from all of it."

"It is not like that," Darien said.

This man was truly Lucifer - in the truest sense of the word.

In a way, he was the true `real´ Lucifer - the first Angel ever created with this identity in the Multiverse... and perhaps the most powerful. He was also one of the first to fall.

So in a sense, his parallel counterparts, like the one who existed in Issei´s word, were only copies of him.

Sitting in front of him - in the guise of a simple nightclub owner, was one of the most powerful and dangerous being in existence. The only reason why Darien even risked a direct confrontation like this, was that he know that Lucifer - this Lucifer - had been peaceful now, more or less, for a long time.

And he knew for sure that he was not longer an enemy.

"There had been an accident. A few members of one of our new teams had been lost during an tranfer between the universes. I am hoping that you still have some of your contacts over the multiverse and might be able to help us."

"How tragic. We both know how easily new recruits can get lost," the Fallen Super Angel replied. "But even then, why should I help you?" His demeanor had become more serious... and cold, as he asked this question.

"Quite simple. For once, we would owe you a favor," Darien stated. "You know, this can always be useful. And you said yourself, you want to stay out of the war. We can help to make sure that happens.

So let us say if someone else - especially someone from the other side - is trying to dragg you into it again, we would do our best to prevent that and stop this person."

Lucifer laughed out.

"Interesting offer," he said. "You really know how to make a promise that serves **both** our purposes, right? After all, you certainly don´t want me as an enemy again, or do I see this wrong?"

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Rias world_

Azazel had been taking a closer look at the control-device now.

While Issei was at the moment sitting on a chair at the other side of the room... watching him curiously.

He had stopped torturing Rias double for the moment... as he had told them, to `give them the chance to enjoy their fear´.

It did work very well, Rias admitted. She was terrified of his.

Azazel had by now tried to take a look at the energy source and was right now starting to manipulate the settings of the device.

... Finally it happened what Rias had feared it would, as a portal was being opened right in front of them in the room.

"What is this?" `Issei´ asked stunned.

As both he and Azazel were discussing what they had discovered, Rias heard a voice addressing her.

"Rias, Rias," her double said to her, "I know you have heard some terrible things about me since you are here... and I am certain you don´t trust me, but if we want to get out of here, we have to help each other."

* * *

 **The Lucifer who appeared at the end of the chapter is based on the DC version. But he is not strictly any known incarnation of the character.**

 **He is basically a mix of the version of the TV serie and the comics, with the appearance and the manners mostly based on the series. His level of power and some of his backstory is more based on the comics, where he is one of the strongest entities.  
**

 **xxx**

 **The difference between worlds like the DC one, where God is actually practically all powerful and the one of DxD, where he is not and can even die is once again brought up.**

 **Like it was already explained more in detail in the last chapter of Gods of Darkness.**


	27. Chapter 27: What you are looking for

**Chapter 27**

 _Rias world_

They were starring at the rift in time and space, that had just opened right in front of them. The two versions of Issei and Azazel from this world were amazed.

They both could sense what it was to some level... but only Rias knew the specifics... and the purpose. At least the hoped so. The last thing they all needed was for Khaos Brigade to find out how the portals worked.

`Damn it,´ she thought silently. `One of the things they had been warned about during their training was to not let Guardian technology fall into the wrong hands... and these guys clearly were the wrong ones.´

The two guards who had been with them, had left a minute ago, on `Issei´s´ own order, as he and Azazel were taking a closer look at their discovery. Obviously he didn´t trust his allies from Khaos Brigade fully.

That meant it was only herself, her double, Hyoudou and the Fallen Angel leader left in the room. That meant their chances were slightly better now, if they tried anything. But they were still chained to their chairs.

"Azazel - that...?" `Issei´ said confused.

"It seems we have now our answer about this double here Hyoudou-san," the Fallen Angel leader replied. A bright smile was forming on his face.

"Your name is Rias Gremory, isn´t it?" he turned to her. "Born as the second child, and only daughter, of Duke Zeoticus Gremory and his wife Venelana? Just not the ones from our world."

"I am," she admitted. They were going to kill her anyway, along with her double. So what did it matter to admit this?

"What the...?" Issei´s double asked.

"What we see here is some kind of dimensional portal," Azazel stated. "But much more advanced than any I have ever seen before. And by what it looks it is based on a combination of advanced science and magic," he said, looking at the small controller in his hands.

"As strange as that sounds, I believe this girl here is in fact nobody else than Rias Gremory - the Rias Gremory from another reality however - very close and nearly identical to ours. You have surely seen something like this on TV."

"So that means I have the chance to kill her twice... in a way of course."

Rias heard his words and felt her skin crawl... but she also noticed something else. The attention of both of them was now fully on the portal before them.

In this moment however, something happened that didn´t just surprised both versions of Rias... but this Issei as well.

A synthetisized sounding voice was suddenly halling through the room.

"Hyoudou," it said.

It was a message that had suddenly arrived at the base. Not send by communication magic - in fact all of this area had been blocked from the outside world, to make it harder for the Devils to find this place - but by simple radio-system, that was integrated into the building.

"Hyoudou, do you hear me?" It was Siegfried, one of Cao Cao´s elite fighters. "We are under attack. It are Fallen Angels."

Now Issei turned around and looked at Azazel with a deep murderous glare.

"You..." he growled.

"Oops," the Fallen Angel leader said grinning. "You were not meant to find out about this until a little bit later."

"You have betrayed us," Issei accussed him.

Azazel just shrugged with the shoulders.

"I have told you that my goal is to create peace between the Three Factions, right?" he stated. "And having a group of terrorists like your allies running around, attacking everyone, is probably the last thing we need for peace. You understand?"

His Boosted Gear appeared on `Issei´s´ arm.

"If this is how you want to play Azazel," he growled.

"Issei," the Fallen Angel leader said, "I know what has happened to you... and I agree that it was a horrible crime. But joining a organization that wants to destroy all three Factions is not an answer.

The person responsible for your suffering is right here."

He pointed to Rias bound counterpart next to her. "You can take your revenge. But then, let it be. I give you and your teammates a chance to surrender."

"Never - not before the last Devil is dead," he hissed.

"I see. So there is truly no hope for you," Azazel replied. He spread his twelfe wings and was ready to fight.

At the same time, Issei activated his Balance Breaker and his scale-armor formed around him.

Both of them were powering up and waiting for the other to make the first move.

 **xxx**

This was the chance Rias had been waiting for. The magical chains she was bound with had been suppressing her magical power, her `demonic´ power. But ki manipulation was neither demonic or strictly magical.

She was more happy than ever before that during her training, she had learned the basics of it. After a few moments of concentrating and channeling her energy, she managed to use her ki to break free of her bonds, while her captors were still focussing on each other. They hadn´t noticed.

In a split-second, she made a decision. She knew her counterpart was a major bitch and an untrustworthy arrogant snake - and that in the best case.

But right now she needed all help she could get. And she had no great choice in who that help came from. So with another move - and a small concentrated burst of Power of Destruction - she freed her as well.

"I hope you won´t make me regret this," she whispered quietly to her double.

 **xxx**

Both Issei and Azazel sensed the short use of demonic power nearly instantly and realized that the two Devils were free (or maybe more both versions of the same Devil).

"They got loose," Azazel called out.

They turned around, but both Rias already attacked, firing globes of Power of Destruction at them.

"You..." Issei growled at both of them. "No... you won´t escape me - you **won´t**!"

Rias had charged forward - with her double still firing Destruction Power at them - and tried to grap the controller from the still distracted Azazel.

One moment later she was holding it in her hand, snatching it from the Fallen Angel, whose attention was still to a great part on his opponent Issei.

Good. She had to get away from here, she knew.

The gate was already opened after all. She didn´t knew into what kind of world this portal would lead to. But right now... everywhere was better than here.

 **Here** she was trapped with an psychotic version of Issei who hated her and an Azazel, who as it seemed wanted `Rias Gremory´ dead as well... and outside was as it looked a small army of Fallen Angels who were attacking this place and would most likely kill her on side.

Her double seemed to have the same idea... and was already running to the opened gate between realities. Not even looking back.

Rias herself turned around to do the same thing, closely behind her... `Issei´ was on her again.

"No - you want leave here," he shouted at them, as he charged at both Rias. "You will die. And I am your executioner." He tackled Rias in - what could only be described as a mad rage - and... before either of them had even fully realized it, they were all gone... fallen through the opened portal.

Left behind was only the stunned Azazel.

"Well, that was unexpected," he murmured... forming a small magic-circle next to him to contact his troops outside and tell them that the battle was as good as over, since their two main targets had just disappeared from the face of the world.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Kuoh - Issei´s team´s home universe_

In this moment they were standing together in an empty corner of the park. It was not so far away from the spot where Issei had died through Raynare´s hands a few months ago. Something that **both** of them now deeply regretted.

They were all clad into wide, dark colored, cloaks. Underneath however the human members of Issei´s team and Kiba were wearing their battle gears and Raynare and Gaeriel had transformed into their Fallen Angel forms. But the coats made them all appear, at least at the first look, like regular citizens.

Issei and the remaining members of his team were now beginning to try what his older counterpart had suggested to them.

He had told him to try to use the mental connection they had formed between them - or rather copied from the one their other selves possesses - as a way to find the others.

 **xxx**

Issei had contacted Odin as well, to ask him for help. But as it turned out the Norse God from another world and now `retired´ Guardian, was currently occupied in a inofficial meeting with a few faction leaders from Devils, Fallen Angels, Yokai and some other Supernatural Beings. The meeting was inofficial, but like tha god told him, important for their goals.

There were several issues between their groups to be addressed. `Issues´ - that meant things like slavery, abuse of Evil Pieces, controlling human settlements without consent of the population, indirect creation of Stray Devils, executions of `supposed´ criminals without any trial or even investigation etc.

As Odin had explained to him, the Guardians had more or less subtly made contact, woke the interest of the Three Factions in working with them... (even if here things had not always gone exactly to plan. Thanks to the interference of Alyk Crocel and Kokabiel´s group, the Devil Faction had found out about them far earlier as they had wanted)...

... and now they were using the influence they had gained to try to change this world for the better - or in more straight words, to do something about the bullshit that had been going on in this word for far too long.

Okay - if the Guardians were going to do that, it would be a great thing. But he and his team had right now to worry about finding their missing members, Issei thought.

 **xxx**

They had already located several universe where dimensional breaches had occured in the last time. The problem was, it were still dozens... and probably even more worlds they had not yet found so far.

They were hoping that their link to Irina and Rias would give them a hint - a feeling - which one of these worlds would be the right ones.

"Are you ready?" Issei asked them. After his counterpart had explained to them what they needed to do, he was more than eager to try it out. They had lost the others - they were out there somewhere - and he wanted them **back**.

"Yes Issei-kun," Asia answered.

She and Raynare were standing in front of him, forming a triangle.

"Are you really sure that you can do this?" Murayama asked them. "I mean... it was just a few days ago that you got this - well - ability, and..."

"I am not sure," Issei answered. "But we will at least try."

 **xxx**

He remembered what their future-counterparts had told them.

The first who had formed the connection were his other self and Raynare as she had bonded her soul to his.

The next had Rias, as a completely accidental side-effect of a curse the God Loki had put on both of them with the intention to destroy them - quite ironically.

Later then, they had included Irina and Asia as well. This time on purpose.

The `Ritual of Chud´, he remembered the term his older counterpart had called it... a mental, spiritual and supernatural connection between a group of mortal beings - or in their case not quite mortal. A connection that allowed them to access higher levels of spiritual power... and do be able to things, that they wouldn´t as individuals.

... And exactly this connection that existed between their counterparts, they had copied and recreated for their current selves.

And in this moment they all started to concentrate and focus on the two members of their bond that were currently not with them.

 **xxx**

"Okay Gaeriel - do it," Issei told her.

The sun was starting to set behind them and it was slowly getting dark.

"Alright," the Fallen Angel replied. She took out the small control device, that she was currently wearing on her wrist (just like every time they went on missions) and used it to summon a portal... that now opened right before them in the middle of the park.

But at this time, it would be pretty save to say that nobody beside them would be here.

Issei, Raynare and Asia were looking concentrated at the portal, while the others were watching them curiously.

"No," Issei said quietly a few moments later... quickly followed by Asia and Raynare, who repeated the same thing.

They were not even completely sure what they were looking for. By what they had been told, they would probably feel a `flickering´ of some kind in their connection to the others.

Gaeriel made a few adjustments on her controller and the portal switched - connecting them to yet another universe.

"No," nearly all three of them were now answering nearly at the same time.

Once again Gaeriel contacted another universe... and once again all three of them denied. And then another one and another... but then finally.

"Wait," Raynare said. "Do you feel that?"

"Yes," Issei replied.

"It is somehow... different," Asia said.

"This is it. I has to be," Issei announced.

"Are you sure?" Ravel asked them.

That caused the three to send a frown to her.

"Of course we can not be," Issei replied. "This here is not exactly an exactl science. We barely know what we are doing here."

"But it feels similar to like when we formed this bond, right?" Asia stated. "It has to be. The only question is, is it Irina-chan or Rias."

"We will see," Issei responded. "Let us go," he said, looking at the others.

But then something happened that none of them would have expected.

"Found you," they suddenly heard someone calling out from behind them.

Damn it, they all thought. They realized they had made a stupid mistake. How could they have been so careless?

`Why had they not warded the area before they stated?´ Issei wanted to kick himself.

As they had heard about a possible chance to find at least two of the others, they had been so eager to try it out, that they had not even bothered to create a barrier.

They should have shielded this place from the outside world **before** they activated the portals.

The truth was, they had been so excited about a chance to find the other, that they had completely ignore basic security-measures. They were idiots.

Who was he kidding? Issei thought. It was him, who had dragged them all here - when they were all already under stress - and riled them up so much, that they had simply forgotten it.

The trio that suddenly came out of the bushes behind them consisted of Motohama, Matsuda... and Katase? Strange, seeing these three together. At least not without the two boys trying to see them in their underwear, or the girls beating them up for it.

As soon as they had shown themselves however, all three of their jaws dropped and they were starring wordlessly at the sight before them... not only at the group of people they all knew - or thought they knew... but also at the still open dimension-portal in the air.

`Great,´ Issei thought, `it could have hardly come any _better_. Not only were Irina and the others missing, now three of his classmates had caught them red-handed.´

Issei however realized quickly that he had been wrong... things were getting even worse.

Being just as shocked as the rest of them about the sudden appearance at the four teenagers, Gaeriel had accidentally come against her control-device and changed the settings. She cursed herself one moment later for making such a stupid mistake, as soon as she had noticed.

But it was too late. The portal was not only widening, but also moving closer to them.

A few moments later, the portal - that was meant to be their way to find their missing friend - had swallowed them all.

Quite ironically, their situation wasn´t much different to what had just happened to Rias, one of the very persons they were looking for.

They all had fallen through an opened portal into another world... and that in a quite embarassing display.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _A few seconds later - `somewhere else´  
_

"W-what in the world had just happened?" Matsuda screamed a few moments later... as they were all regaining their senses from the accidental transfer.

All of them looked around. Issei and the rest of his team were only slightly surprised, as they saw a large town in some kilometers distance... a town that was definitely not Kuoh. They could make out a skyscrappers and wide highways.

They knew they had arrived. This - wherever it was - was the place one of their friends had been send to.

The others however...

"W-where are we?" Katase shouted in absolute shock.

"How in the world did we came here?" Motohama called out.

"Murayama? Kiba-san," Katase said, seeing the boy she had a crush on - like the greates part of the female population of their school - here with them. "Yuuma, Maya?" she stated Asia´s alias, " and you too, Xenovia and Ravel - what is going on here?" she wanted to know.

"Well, it seems the game is up. Right Gaeriel?" Raynare commented. She pulled off her coat and threw it away.

Motohama´s and Matsuda´s jaws dropped now, as she saw her in her leather-strap outfit... and her black wings, of which she had currently only one of her four pairs materialized - Katase´s jaw as well, but especially theirs.

"What are you doing?" Murayama exclaimed.

"Yuuma?" she asked, now even more shocked. "Y-you are... what in the world are you?"

"A Fallen Angel," Gaeriel told them, "just like me." She had layed off her own coat, revealing her own leather outfit she was currently wearing, that was less revealing than Raynare´s, but only in comparison - and spread her wings as well.

"Fallen Angels? That is crazy," Motohama called out.

"Yeah... But hot as hell," Matsuda added. "Take a look at Yuuma Motohama. These breasts. And look at what Yuuma-san and the other girl are wearing. Issei is so lucky."

"You say it," his friend fell in. "Yuuma presents her oppai like no other. And the other one is not bad either," he said, looking at Gaeriel. "Do you think they mind if we get ourselves a handful?" he asked `innocently´.

"Stop this," Katase growled. "This is not the time to be perverted."

"There is **always** time to be perverted," Motohama responded eagerly and Matsuda loudly agreed. "Tell her Issei-kun."

"Normally I would agree," Issei responded smirking. "But I think we should really talk about all this first."

"Hyoudou-san, what - what in the world are you people?" Katase stammered now. "Murayama, what in the world are you doing with them? I knew that you were hanging out with Hyoudou and his girls for some reason. But this...? Why have you not told me?"

"Would you have believed me any of this?" her friend responded calmly.

"Probably not," she admitted. "But why are you with them?"

"I - I am part of their team," Murayama answered a bit hesitatedly.

"Team? What team? And Yuuma, Ravel and Maya?" Matsuda asked.

"Ahm, actually my real name is Asia," she responded. "Maja is just an alias Gaeriel-san and Issei-kun have invented because... I don´t want people to find me."

"Why would someone be after you?" Katase asked.

Asia looked at her with an a bit grim expression. A few months ago, she would have certainly been shy about it in this situation and would havehesitated to tell them. But not anymore.

"That is the reason," she stated... and let a glympse of the green light of the Twilight Healing shine from her hand.

"And my real name is Raynare," `Yuuma´ told them. "Yuuma Armano is my human alias."

"Do you all have some kind of power?" Motohama asked.

"In short, yes," Issei stated.

"You too Issei? Why have you never told us?" Matsuda called out.

"Oh, by the way buddies, I have supernatural powers and I am part of a team that travels to other worlds," Raynare remarked sarcastically. "Do you really expect from him to tell you something like this, just like that?"

"Oh well?" Motohama said.

"I had been planning to tell you guys... in some time at least," Issei stated. "But now you found out anyway."

"Found out? Just wait a minute. You have still not explained to us exactly who you are and what you are doing."

"I know... we will tell you everything in a short time," Issei promised his friends. "... But first... Do you sense her?" he asked the others.

"Irina," Gaeriel responded. "You have actually done it."

"Irina - what about her?" Katase questioned, thinking about their blonde - somewhat strange - classmate, who claimed to be in a relationship with Hyoudou, along with Yuuma and Maya - no Asia and Raynare - she thought. "She is one of you too, right?"

"She has gone missing," Kiba explained, "she and Buchou - Rias - and Akeno... and someone else we know," he said. "We are trying to find them."

"Missing?" Matsuda called out. "We thought Irina and Rias-sempai just weren´t at class because of some of your club-activities?"

"What should we have told you? That they were lost in another dimension?" Kiba asked him.

"Another...? You mean we are actually...?" Katase screeched.

"We will explain everything to you," Murayame promised them, "... but on our way to Irina."

"Let us go," Xenovia said.

"You wanted to know what exactly we are doing and how it came to all this," Issei stated.

"Yes," Motohama replied.

"Of course we want to know," Matsuda fell in.

"You see," Raynare begann, "it all started on the day that some stupid bitch suddenly asked Issei-kun out, with the intention to lure him to an lonely place to kill him - because she had been told by someone that he possessed a secret power, that could be a great danger."

"Moment!" Motohama called out. "Suddenly asking Issei out?... wasn´t that y...?"

"Like I said," Raynare responded with a grim expression, "she was a stupid and arrogant bitch and we can be glad that she is no longer here."

"... And that you have taken her place, right Raynare-chan?" Asia said to her with an, a bit sly, smirk.

"Yes," the Fallen Angel retorted.

Asia had really come far from the shy and quiet girl she had been a few months ago, Raynare admitted. And it made Raynare feel even worse about the fact that, the same few months ago, she had been willing to kill her over the Twilight Healing.

 **xxxxxxx**

They could have just transported themselves to the place they sensed Irina´s energy. But they didn´t want to be seen by normal people and maybe cause panic and chaos in this world. So they decided to walk.

By now however, they also knew that she wasn´t alone. There were a number of other powers right with her.

"Do you really think it was a good idea to tell them everything?" Xenovia whispered to Gaeriel and Raynare somewhere on the way.

"They had already seen us and landed here along with us," Raynare responded. "It was either telling them or just leaving them to make their own conclussions."

"They seem reasonable and would probably not spread their knowledge around," Gaeriel stated, "especially if we warn them about `possible dangers´. If it came hard to hard however, we could still erase their memories."

"Issei-kin wouldn´t like that," Xenovia replied.

"I know," Gaeriel said. "Let us hope that it won´t be necessary."

 **xxx**

It was after nearly an hour of walking together through the foreign town - an hour that they had used to tell the still shocked Matsuda, Motohama and Katase the entire story - that they had finally reached the place.

They could see in now in a few hundred meters distance, at the other side of... a park. Of course it just **had** to be yet another park, Issei thought. He couldn´t help himself - he **hated** parks... ever since that night - even if he loved Raynare.

... And standing right next to Irina was... a group of teenagers? But they all knew better than to go by the first appearance.

In their daily guises, they themselves were looking just like a normaly group of teenagers as well after all.

They could make out a dark haired young man, who was standing the closest to Irina - then... five identical looking brown haired girls? Quintets? Copies? Clones? Or something else? This was another universe. Issei reminded himself - who knew what was going on in this world.

Then a white haired boy. Like the others, he was radiation some kind of power, that was different from anything they knew... and a small Nun? He couldn´t help but be reminded of Asia.

"Issei-kun!" Irina called out as she saw them. "You have found me." She was running to them. "You have really found me!" she shouted and tackled and thre her arms around him and hugged him as tightly that he could barely get air, even with his now supernatural strength.

 **xxx**

Touma and the others had of course noticed the newcomers as well. By her reaction, they knew that this had to be Irina´s comrades, she had mentioned. She and Accelerator had by now told them alll - that included Misaka´s `little sisters´ aka clones, they had met up with - their entire crazy story... including parallel worlds, Supernatural creatures, alternate doubles of people they knew... and in Irina´s case perverts at highschools and harems - which she was a part of, as she herself admitted.

Honestly, they would have just thought this girl was completely crazy, if Accelerator had not pretty much confirmed most of what she told them.

And now these group of people had arrived here.

He noticed that Accelerator had stepped forward. This might not be good, Touma thought.

 **xxx**

Issei team as well - and even their three unplanned compatriots - noticed the white haired teenager, who was visibly glaring at them.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Kalawarner´s world_

If anybody had told the Fallen Angel about the place where `Issei Hyoudou´ would bring her to... she would not have believed it.

She had expected something like Issei´s family´s home in their world... or maybe some other abandoned house turned into a base.

But what he and Sona´s strange double had brought her to... was a palace. Not only that, it was a palace that was underwater... in fact, by what Issei said, they were beneath the chinese sea.

And `Issei´ was not the only incredible powerful presence she was sensing. Who exactly was this guy?

"You can stay here for the time being Kalawarner-san," the being who was calling himself Issei told her. But the Fallen Angel was more and more sure that he wasn´t, at least not the one she knew in any form or incarnation.

The red headed Sona Sitri counterpart next to him, showed an obviously unhappy frown at his statement.

"Don´t misunderstand me," Issei continued. "I am not simply doing this out of charity. If your comrades you have mentioned will actually come to look for you, I rather have them come here to me... and we can discuss things out - instead of them running all over our world searching for you. Our world is chaotic enough as it is. You should know, the Supernatural World is at war in our reality."

"Just like your `leader´ Kokabiel wanted," Sona - no Seria - remarked with barely suppressed rage, "the Fallen Angels, the Devils and Heaven against each other - a new Great War."

Of course, Kalawarner realized - the destroyed school. Kokabiel´s attack was not a failure in this world. But why had the rest of the town not been destroyed? He had planned to wipe out **all** of Kuoh after all. Or were other things different here as well?

"Has Lord Azazel not done anything to stop it?" she asked them.

"Azazel is dead," Issei said to Kalawarner, who was shocked at this revelation, "he and Shemhazai had been assassinated. Kokabiel has allies - a organization calling itself the Khaos Brigade."

"Yes, they also exist in my world," Kalawarner replied.

"But that is not everything. There is something else, standing behind **both** of them - someone or something not from this world. This was the reason I was so worried when you suddenly showed up in Kuoh," he explained. "But I realized quickly that you are not involved with this threat."

"Who are you?" Kalawarner asked him. "I know you are not Issei Hyoudou, not even his counterpart from this world, even if you look like him."

"Yes - I think I should finally introduce myself," he told her with an elegant bow. "The name I am going by in the human world is Issei Ryuujou. In truth however I am the son of the Dragon King Ao Quin and Mazu - Goddess of the Sea."

`What the fuck?´ Kalawarner thought. She recognized the names of this two chinese deities - a Dragon King and a Goddess?

Where this the two powerful presences she felt close by? If this was true, then this guy was not human at all.

"... And the reason I am looking so much like this Issei Hyoudou you know," he continued. "Several years ago, the Hyoudous had died during a journey over the Chinese Sea. My parents - for reasons of their own - then decided to temporally take over their bodies. A few months later I was born.

So you see, in a sense I am Issei Hyoudou´s counterpart in this world."

Kalawarner was only looking at him with open mouth, while Seria - despite still looking at her with bitterness - could barely suppress a grin at the Fallen Angel´s dumbfounded expression.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Akeno´s world_

A very tired Fallen Angel hybrid turned reincarnated Devil was being woken up by her very grumpy and not exactly enthusiastic roommate.

Well, not `not exactly enthusiastic´ was clearly an understatement.

"Get up damnit. I have truly better things to do than babysit a spoiled halfling brat," she heard Raynare´s irritated voice, "especially one that was stupid enough to let herself be turned into a Devil."

"Of course Raynare-`sama´, I would never think about keeping you waiting," Akeno replied sarcastically.

This caused only a frown from the Fallen Angel.

Despite everything, the parallels between their worlds were sometimes nearly funny. As it seems Raynare had here tried to kill the Red Dragon Emperor as well - only it being Rias instead of Issei - with this Rias being not only an otaku and manga fanatic, but also somewhat of an open pervert, similar to the Issei of her world.

The Fallen Angel had, by what Akeno had been told, pretended to befriend her and then lured her to an empty spot to kill her (like with Issei in her own world.

Even more ironically, Issei had then interferred and saved Rias and defeated this Raynare. During that he had temporally sealed her powers and left her not any stronger than a regular human.

After this Issei had captured her, he and Azazel had agreed to a deal. It was not as if the Fallen Angel and her leader had much choice here, unless she wanted to return to the Grigori powerless and have to find a way to restore her abilities on her own. But that didn´t mean that she was happy about the situation.

Still, she seemed by now to get along pretty well with this world´s Issei and the members of his little group - with the exception of Rias, who she was still on rough terms with - and by what she was told, he even trusted her enough by now, that he would unbound the seal on her for a short time, when he found it necessary.

 **xxx**

That was probably more than Akeno could say about herself. Her own counterpart and her mother had all but happy about the fact that she had become a Devil servant. Especially after she told them and the others **how** exactly she came into Rias service.

Okay, actually Shuri had been nearly furious about the thought. She still didn´t fully seemed to believe that Akeno was actually another version of her daugther... and that was probably the reason why she hadn´t been **completely** furious. And the other Akeno herself had not been much better.

Akeno had tried to tell them that Rias had saved her life from the members of the Himejima Clan - but it had all fallen apart quickly, as she mentioned that Rias had in fact offered the Himejimas a pact... and even more as she admitted that she had made it a part of this pact that Akeno was never permitted to leave Kuoh without Rias permission - or to leave Rias side for a longer time.

Okay, she could understand how this part had riled them up. She had told them that she and Rias had actually become very good friends after this incident and she had become her Queen willingly.

`Did you?´ a quite voice asked her from inside herself, `or had Rias just bound you so much to her at that point that you never considered anything else?´ No, she told herself. She was letting her `mother´ and her counterpart getting to her with their mindset, she told herself.

But it didn´t matter.

Human Rias had actually declared her: her `Evil counterpart from another universe´, just a moment later.

To be honest, the perverted otaku probably liked the idea to have an evil counterpart - especially one with big breasts and red hair, Akeno chuckled silently.

 **xxx**

She and Raynare were by now walking side by side through the town, the Fallen Angel in her typical `Yuuma Armano´ from, even if she was not necessary using the same alias in this world, Akeno knew.

Rias - this Rias - along with Koneko´s counterpart Shirone, had at that point met up with them and the four of them were going together to the school.

Rias - a human in this world. She was still trying to wrap her mind around this thought. How could that be?

She had been asking a few questions as well, since she had arrived here, about the history of this world... and also about Rias family-history.

As it turned out, the `Mac Greymore´s´ - the name alone was a dead giveaway - were a rich family, originally coming from herself, her parents and one older brother - so far everything matched.

But the kicker was that Rias couldn´t really tell her anything about her family until one generation ago, except the names of her grandparents and the fact that her ancestors were `probably´ nobles, who had lost their titles at some point.

If she truly came from such an prestigeous line, shouldn´t Rias know more about them?

To that came what `Issei´ had told her about the history of the Devils in this reality. Around the end of the Devil Civil War- that had taken much longer in this world as in her own - this world had suddenly been attacked by an mysterious enemy... called the Erebos.

There was not much known about their heritage, except that they were clearly, like the Devils, a race of demonic heritage... and that they - like Akeno herself - were not from this world. It was also quite clear that they had hated the Devils for some reason. But nobody was actually sure why.

They had first attacked the weakened Devils... and then later got engaged with the Angels and Fallen as well. The involvement of the Erebos however had caused the fightings to spread into the human world, cost many people their lives and threatened the safety of humanity as a whole.

In response, not only reacted the Churches and other religions, by recruiting more Exorcists and other fighters... there were also other groups of humans with magical or other supernatural abilities that came together to fight the invaders.

Over time, this formed a number of so called Magical Guilds, that still existed and were still a powerful factor in the Supernatural World. Issei - this Issei - and his family were part of such a guild.

In the end, the Erebos had been stopped by all Factions working together and forced away from this universe... and seemed to have retreated to whereever they came from. But the Three Faction like she knew them were still far weaker as in her own world, because of the endless conflicts.

She had to think about what Darien and the other Guardian leaders had told them about `threats out there, that would cause them to run away in fear´. Were this Erebos such a threat?

But it also made her think about the human Rias. Had the Gremories for some reason abandoned the Underworld... and somehow turned themselves human? And if, why? - to escape the war? To escape the Erebos, whoever they were?

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Another universe (DxD reality 006)_

The small group of Devils was examining the place where a very small but deadly battle had been taking place not long ago.

Issei Hyoudou - the one from this world - could only cringe at what he saw.

He was here, together with Sona and the members of her peerage.

They were in a small town, near the japanize coast - a place that, just like Kuoh, was being claimed by the Devils as part of their territory.

And the place they were standing in was what had been left of what had once been the headquarter of the Devil in charge of this area. The entire peerage had been completely slaughtered.

It was now the second time he saw a scene like this.

 **xxx**

He was the same Issei Hyoudou who had seen his former Master Rias and the entire rest of her peerage getting killed before his eyes. And then, a few weeks later - after every attempt of the Underworld to find or even identify the killer had failed - he and Irina had finally faced him again, together with a group of alternate selves from another universe of himself and her, Rias and his old friends and even Raynare. As strange as all that sounded.

As he and Irina had finally returned to their own world, they had brought Sirzechs the head of his sister´s murderer - an agent of a terrible force from outside of their own universe. Alyc Crocel - a man whose counterpart in their own reality had been long dead, belonging to one of the now extinct Houses of the 72 Pillars.

No wonder nobody had been able to find him. Not in this world at least. But then, through a line of unbelievable freak incidences, he had finally been able to avenge the others.

Since he and Irina had returned from their `interdimensional adventure´, he had more or less been an informal members of Sona´s peerage - at least for the time being. And as they had heard that another Devil and his entire peerage had been destroyed, he had come along with them to investigate.

 **xxx**

Now Issei was standing in front of another group of young Devils that had been slaughtered.

Had it been **them**? he had to ask himself - Crocel´s Masters?

Or was someone completely else behind this?

 **xxxxxxxx**

 _Several miles away in the same universe_

"Good. You have done a very good work," the mysterious being named Pazuzu said to them. "It seems it wasn´t a mistake to recruit you Selzen," he addressed the newest member of their group.

"Oh, I am flattered by your praise," Freed replied. "But seriously, all what I did was having a bit of fun," he said, remembering the massacre they had just committed.

The `Devil Hunters´, as they called themselves, were a squad of - for the lack of better terms - interdimensional mercenaries, working for the Erebos Demons.

They were travelling from Earth to Earth, killing Devils across the universes... and even more important, spread chaos and unrest under them. In short, their just was to weaken the enemy in preparation for the forces of the Erebos themselves to arrive.

They had shown interest in a version of this man named Freed Selzen for some time now. While many incarnations of him were clearly completely insane, there was no doubt that he was really good in killing Devils - at least low level ones.

His eyes wandered to the dark haired woman next to Freed, another gem they had found - the Nekomata Kuroka. She was now free from the so called Evil Pieces that had once turned her into a Devil herself. And like the other members of their team, she had reason to hate them - the loss of her sister in her case.

Then there was a version of Vali Lucifer, the White Dragon Emperor.

And also the young Fallen Angel, they had gotten from the same world they had found Selzen. She wasn´t actually strong, but she was a good source of information about her world and her light-powers made her useful anyway for this team.

It didn´t matter much in the end. Ultimately, the Devil Hunters were fodder - yes, very expensive fodder, that served it´s purpose, but fodder nontheless.

They were a small wheel in their machinery. But a useful one.

* * *

 **Okay, this is finally the 27´th chapter.**

 **The term `Ritual of Chud´, for the supernatural bond between the characters, is actually a reference to Stephen King´s It, where the connection between the Loosers Club - created by God - is refered by the same name. This will be brought up a few more times, here and especially in Gods of Darkness.  
**

 **I will try from now on to concentrate more on one reality or two per chapter, now where the places where the members of Issei´s team had ended up had been more or less established.**

 **The Erebos Demons are coming more into the focus as villian, instead of the Dark Order.**

 **And the version of Issei from the second story Arc finally makes a comeback.**

 **xxx**

 **By the way, I have a new account (also displayed in my profile). It is not as if I want to ask you all for money - who am I kidding? in the end that is exactly what I am doing.**

 **I am currently working in a halfday job. So I have technically time to write at the side - well, technically.**

 **But the income is not so much and with just a little bit more, I could actually concentrate on my writing in my freetime, instead of dealing with other worries and try to find other ways to get more money.**

 **I am not expecting much, but even a few small donation could really help me out here.**


	28. Chapter 28: Mirror Image

**Chapter 28**

 _Irina´s world_

Both sides knew by now a bit about each other.

Irina had by now told the group of native teenagers a good part of their own story... and now they had in exchange explained to them a few things about their own world... the humans with supernatural abilities - Espers, as they were called - and the Magicians, who existed along with them in this world.

Their three classmates Matsuda, Motohama and Katase now knew mostly everything about them as well.

As it had turned out, they had grown suspicious - and curious - about all the time their friends Issei and Murayama and the others had spend together and were absent from class in the last months. They came, independant from each other, more and more to the conclusion that something strange must have been going on with them.

So they had just decided to meet up today and follow them secretly to find out what the heck they were doing.

As it turned out, they had been more right than they ever imagined.

"So do I get this right?" Issei asked at one point, looking at the brown haired girls. "You all are clones of Makoto here, being created by some group of mad scientists?"

"That sounds nearly like one of our stories," Raynare commented... and Xenovia, who was standing next to her, nodded.

"And there had originally been 20.000 of you," Issei continued. "But this guy here," he pointed at Accelerator, "had killed the half of you in some crazy bullshit experiment, just to help him reach the next level of power?"

"Basically yes, this Misaka says," one of the clones answered.

"Do you have a problem with it?" Accelerator asked him sternly.

"Yes - you can say I have a problem with it, when someone murders cute girls for idiotic reasons," Issei retorted.

"Yeah - tell that guy Issei. Cute girls in mass production. It is like a dream come true," Motohama yelled from the sides, "... and this idiot had nothing better to do than killing them all."

"Even if their boobs could have been a bit bigger," Matsuda commented loudly, starring lecherously at the five identical looking girls.

For a split second, Misaka and her four clones were all - nearly subconsciously - looking down at her own chests.

"What did you just say?" they all then yelled at him at the same time - the clones **and** the original - and sending him a combined death glare. The others saw that they had actually started to charge up lighting bolts in their hands.

"Please wait," Katase called out. "Matsuda-san might be a pervert and an idiot, but he doesn´t mean it like that." She could barely believe that she was actually defending that pervert here. She had beaten the hell out of him and the other two more than once herself.

But normally girls also weren´t threatening to shoot electric bolts at them.

"Yes, he just doesn´t think about what he is saying," Murayama added. "He also makes comments about mine and Katase´s breasts all the time." And other body parts, she added mentally.`He and Motohama never actually stated that their breasts were **too small** though,´ she thought silently.

So they were obviously quite satisfied with the size of **theirs**. One moment later, she realized what she was thinking about and then blushed. Since when did she care what Matsuda thought about the size of her and Katase´s boobs?

"Then he should better learn to think about it," the original Misaka growled. "Or I guaranty that some girl will teach him a lesson some day," she said. But she and her `sisters´ stopped their prepared attacks.

 **xxx**

The boy calling himself Accelerator however was still only standing silently at the side and watching them dangerously.

"Okay," he finally stated, "you have told us your story." He crossed eyes with Issei and the others. "The question is, what does that mean for us?"

He himself had also added a few bits during the converzation, especially the reason why he had attacked Irina... and his pact with the Dark Order. It would be an understatement to say the others had been shocked about what happened... and what he had agreed to.

"You don´t mean?" Touma said.

"Yes I do," Accelerator replied. "I have told you what had happened - the conditions of our deal. What do you think could happen if **they** find out this guys have entered our world?"

He had told them about his meeting with the strange `Dark Man´ who had suddenly appeard out of nowhere before him. About the fight that had broken out between them... and the offer the stranger had made, after Accelerator had completely and utterly lost.

"I have only been beaten twice in my life. Once by you and your strange ability to negate someone´s power... but even then you had help. The other time though. I was nearly as if my powers didn´t even exist. Do you understand me? He was inside my mind... and he just - somehow... shut them down. Not even I myself can do that."

Touma crinched visibly as he heard this. He remembered all too well how powerful Accelerator was. He had once fought him to get him to stop his attacks on the Misaka clones and barlely survived... and that was when he had help from the Misaka´s. If this being had just been toying with him like this, then...

"I have agreed to work for them. To sometimes do some tasks for them - nothing too harmful - just like being send somewhere and beating up a guy who refuses to cooperate or something. And of course making sure that no-one from their enemies enters our world - and that is exactly what I will do now." Issei sensed that he was starting to activate his energy.

"With other words, you have decided to become their errand boy," he commented.

"Do you think I had a choice?" Accelerator asked grimly. "They had told me, my world is save, as long as I follow their conditions."

He made a small move and in the next moment a park bank was turned into a deadly projectile, closely followed by an entire tree that was ripped out of the ground and send in Issei´s direction...

... who a split-second earlier had activated his Sacred Gear and used his power to shield himself from the thrown objects, that slintered to pieces as they hit him.

"Accelerator, stop this," Touma called out. "Don´t you see that this is senseless? They will just leave anyway, if you just let them."

"I am sorry, but this has to be done. What do you think will the Lords say, if they find out their enemies had shown up in our world and I had not even tried to fight them off?"

"So **that** is it? You are just trying to put up a show? You just want to fight, so you can claim you did it?" Issei stated.

"Maybe you could call it that... maybe," the white haired boy replied stoically. "Or maybe I might actually try to kill you, who knows?"

"You stay out of this," Issei said to the others. "If he wants a fight, I will give it to him."

 **xxx**

"Won´t the people in the town notice this?" Kiba asked. "I mean will this not cause trouble?"

"They will just think this is simply another fight between Espers," Misaka stated, "and not think much about it."

"Yes, something like this happens here quite often," Touma commented.

"You know, your world is just as crazy as ours," Irina remarked.

"But still, this time we will errect a barrier," Gaeriel said. "Are you ready Raynare, Kiba, Ravel?"

"You can count on it," the other Fallen Angel and the two Devils replied... and together they started to shield this area from the outside.

 **xxx**

"Be careful Issei-kun," Irina called out. "He is practically invulnerable."

Yes, they had mentioned Accelerator´s special abilities during their converzation.

`Are you ready Ddraig?´ he thought silently.

 **[I am... as always Partner,** **]** the Dragon responded. **[** **You realize this guy is not like a Devil or Fallen Angel, right?]**

`Yes, his power is completely non-magical. The closest thing seemed to be this SHA super-soldiers or some members of the other Guardian teams,´ Issei replied mentally.

`Then let us beginn,´ Issei thought. He run forward and tried to land a punch at his opponent. Not too hard, since he knew about Accelerator´s powers. Still he hoped he could negate them with his ki manipulation. But it came just like Issei had feared.

In the moment his punch hit Accelerator´s skin, it felt as if he was pushed with full force into the opposite direction. Before he himself had even fully realized it, he had been thrown at the other side of the park and landed hard on the ground.

His ki manipulation wasn´t working on this guy. As it seemed, his contractors - a.k.a. the Lords - had thought him at least the basics of the same technique and he now used it to counter his. That mean they both were back to square one and he was facing an opponent who could, by what he was told, obviously repel **any** attack.

Issei activated his Balance Breaker and his Scale Armor formed around him.

He charge up and fired a Dragon Shot.

But like before, it did nothing... and the blast was deflected harmlessly into the air.

"Great, any ideas Ddraig?" he murmured.

 **[It seems his skin can reflect any known moving force,** **]** the Dragon stated. **[I am not sure if this power of his has an limit. But it is good possible that he can just stand there and take attacks from you until you are exhausted. You must try something else.** **]**

`I would have never figured that out,´ Issei replied sarcastically, `but what?´

 **[There is always the Sword of Cronos,** **]** Ddraig said. ****[It´s slashed can move right through time and space. So you could hit the insides of his body without directly passing his skin.** **]****

`But I can not control it well enough to cause non-lethal wounds... and I don´t want to kill him,´ Issei thought. ´He is only fighting me because he thinks he has no other choice.´

 **[This mindset might kill you one day, you know?** **]** Ddraig commented. ****[Okay, there is also telepathy.** **]****

`Good, I can try that,´ he thought.

"Have you ever considered that the Lords could be bluffing?" Issei called out to the boy called Accelerator. "Do you really think they would bother to attack your world just if you refuse to do what they want? Believe me, this guys have other things on their minds."

"Do you really think I could take that risk?" Accelerator retorted.

He was starting to charge up a large ball of plasma, by compressing the air molecules around him.

"We can protect your world from them," Irina called out.

"You can?" the white haired boy questioned. "As it looks to me, you can barely defend yourselves."

"Okay, here goes nothing," Issei said quietly. He had been waiting for a chance and now he had it.

`You will stop this attack.´ He concentrated his thoughts on Accelerator.

But split-seconds later he got a nasty surprise.

`y... will st... th.s attack,´ it echoed halling in his head. What?

"Ddraig, was that...?" he said loud.

 **[Yes Partner, it seems his powers can deflect even thoughts.** **]**

"I don´t fucking believe this," Issei growled. "What the hell are we supposed to do now."

In this moment Accelerator fired his plasma-globe at the still disoriented Issei.

It was just before the attack hit him and Issei was just trying to dodge.

But before he even had the chance to try, Raynare had appeared between him and his opponent, blocked the shot and similar like Accelerator had done it with the Dragon Shot, send it up into the air.

"That is enough," she said. "I won´t longer just stand by and watch this."

In the next second Irina, then Murayama, Gaeriel, Ravel and even Asia appeared next to her.

"Oh, you all want to join in as well?" Accelerator asked them.

"You don´t even want to fight us," Raynare hissed. "Do you think we don´t realize that?"

"Yes, you are doing this because you want to fulfill the conditions of your Masters," Gaeriel added, "even if it is just for show. Even if we can not protect this world on our own, our leaders can. Just give us a chance to."

"Even if I considered this," Accelerator replied, "you still need to show me something."

 **xxx**

`What about trying to send our thoughts directly through hyperspace?´ Issei considered.

 **[Great idea Partner. Can you do that?** **]** the Dragon responded. **  
**

`No.´

 ** **[Then why do you bring it up?** **]****

`I had hoped you can.´

This caused an annoyed growl from the Dragon.

 **[I have never tried it.** **]**

`I am sure Darien could do it,´ Issei replied. `Or Madelyne and Jean.´

 **[Well, too bad that they are not here then,** **]** Ddraig replied sarcastically. **  
**

"I am sure we can do it. You are more than powerful enough. You just never had a reason to try something like this, right?" Issei said.

 **[Very well.** **]**

 ** **xxx****

"That is enough," Issei called out. "I didn´t want to go this far. But you leave me no choice... Ddraig!"

 **[Ready Partner.** **]** And Issei changed once again. His bulking Dragon Armor now reformed into a sleeker form around his body. His eyes were glowing in bright green... and his power skyrocket.

But that was not everything. His presence itself seemed to change. **  
**

Issei´s and Ddraig´s minds were embracing each other, literally starting to merge into one.

 **"Crimson Awakening,"** their voices shouted together.

"What the heck?" Accelerator whispered as he saw and sensed the new strange transformation.

 **`You will stop this fight now,´** Issei/Ddraig ordered him. `You will end this fight and power down.´ But this time he send his thoughts directly through time and space to their target, using the combined strength of Issei´s telepathy, that he had inheritaged from Darien and Ddraig´s terrifying power.

Accelerator stopped moving... and silently his body followed Issei´s commands.

A second later it was over. He had completely powered down.

"I hope that is enough for you as a demonstration," Issei stated. He left his `Awakening´ mode and powered down as well.

"As we have said, we are willing to talk with our leaders about the protection of your world."

Accelerator was looking at them silently for a few moments.

"I am willing to listen," he finally answered.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Somewhere else_

Meanwhile Rias - you could say both versions of her - were still in a dire situation.

They had both fallen through the opened portal... but they were not the only ones.

Issei´s crazy counterpart had come with them as well. This had not been part of the plan.

They all had materialized up in the sky, somewhere above a landside in this new parallel world.

`Issei´ had, upon realizing what happened, nearly instantly charged up a Dragon Shot and fired at them. The blast his Rias square, yet barely gazed her double and send them both crashing downwards.

Before that however, both of them send each a ball of Power of Destruction at him.

He countered their attacks by powering up into his Balance Breaker mode and deflecting them with his own power. But it was enough to push him back and distract him temporally, so that he didn´t managed to see where they landed.

It had bought them some time. But they both knew he would sense their presence and find them.

What they didn´t realize was that also someone else, the inhabitants of this new world, had sensed this release of energy.

 **xxx**

About a minute later, the two identical Devils were managing to stand up again. Or at least one of them did.

They were both somewhere in the middle of a large forest on a hill, in some distance to the edge of a cliff.

Rias, after being hit by Issei´s counterpart´s attack, was struggling to stand on her own legs.

Her double on the other side had been mostly uninjured.

"Well `me´, I admit you have been a great help," `Rias´ stated, as she was standing next to her injured counterpart. "And it seems the story you have told is actually true. You can use Power of Destruction after all. Who else but a Gremory or a Bael could do it? I would not have thought it possibe if someone had told me it all this yesterday." She grinned.

"You don´t look so well `sister´," she was taking a glance at Rias injury. "But I think you can at least still serve a purpose."

Without a warning she fired another - very small - blast of energy, that hit Rias leg and caused her to painfull fall down.

She realized that her bitch of a other self had just burned away a chunk of her flesh.

"You," she growled in helpless rage. "I have helped you escape... you..."

"Yes and now you will help me again," her counterpart replied callously. "We both know our friend Issei will find us very soon. But he has problems to tell us apart. So the time he will take to deal with **you** , will allow me to get some distance away."

"You - you really want to leave me here to die?" Rias asked the other red haired Devil in horror.

"Oh, don´t look at me like that," her counterpart replied. "We both know that you would have probably done the same if you were in my position. I just got more lucky. We are the same person after all. As strange as that sounds, right?"

"I would never do something like this," Rias said. "I - please, don´t do this..." She grabbed her counterpart by the leg, trying to stop her.

"Take your hands off me," `Rias´ told her coldly. "Or I already start now what Issei will do later. How about I blow away your leg completely?"

Rias let go of her, but continued to talk.

"What - what you are doing is wrong. Think about it. Your peerage, they are all dead because you betrayed Issei. If you hadn´t send him to his death, none of this would have happened. They would all still be alive."

`Rias´ face turned into a deep scowl.

"Issei Hyoudou, that idiot, that fool," she growled. "I could have given him so much power, wealth, all the girls he wanted. If he had just forgotten about the past. But no. He still had to whine about what had happened to him and that worthless Fallen Angel. And he had thrown everything away just because of that. I lost everything, my position, my power, my servants, all because that fool just couldn´t see reason."

Rias couldn´t believe what she was hearing.

"They died because of your failures," she whispered. This caused `Rias´ to send her another angry glare.

"And don´t like being talked to like that - not even from myself. But I admit maybe I should have find a better method to recruit Hyoudou, maybe get the other Fallen Angels to kill him somehow, since his `girlfriend´ obviously didn´t want to... or just find a better way to frame her.

This entire mess has caused me all my servants, after I had spend years collecting them."

"W-weren´t they your friends?" Rias asked her.

"Of course they were my friends." `Rias´ smiled at her `warmly´. "They were so useful after all. Akeno with her lightning and power, Kiba and Koneko, even that weakling Asia. They all had something that made them unique and valuable. Their loss devastated me. Well, at least they fulfilled their purpose by defending me with their lives."

Rias felt like ice inside.

No, this wasn´t her - this couldn´t be her. This were her worst qualities given form - a monster, an abomination.

"You - you are a rotten piece of scum," Rias hissed angrily.

In response `Rias´ kicked her hard in the side.

"I have to leave now before our `beloved´ Issei shows up here. I will try now to find some of the natives of this world. I will just tell them that a dangerous madmen is after me and plead for their help. I will for sure find some bleeding soul who is willing to save me. I am really good in telling such stories, you should know.

Hey, maybe I will even tell them that he had murdered my `poor´ sister... and then we can come back together and avenge you.

I have to go now and you have to die. Bye."

`By all Satans, can I truly be that much of an arrogant braggart?´ Rias thought.

She could barely hold back her rage after all.

"You should not be too sad. As long as one of us survives it is okay. We are the same after all."

In this moment it was too much for Rias. Her anger was practically breaking out of her and at the same time she felt an tidel-wave of raw power flowing through her.

"I **am** **not like you!** " she screamed in pure rage, as a giant burst of Destruction Power practically erupted from her hands.

Her counterpart - who had thought her wounded double helpless - was completely taken off-guard as she was hit by it and only managed to let out a horrible scream... before her burning and slowly disintigrating body was send flying over the cliff.

She had done it, Rias thought. She had killed the monster.

And she would make sure that it would never came to be again.

"I am not you," she whispered quietly. "I promise I will never be you."

This was the last thing she thought before loosing consciousness.

In her last half awake moments however, she sensed that someone was coming.

 **xxxxxxx**

Meanwhile Issei and his friends were back in their own world.

After their meeting with Touma, Accelerator and the others... and their promise to talk about their situation with the other Guardians, they had seperated from Matsuda, Motohama and Katase, who had all agreed not keep what they had seen and heard a secret.

Issei admitted he was actually glad that his two friends knew now. That only left his parents.

But first, they had their other problems to deal with. First they would locate the world were they hoped Rias had landed. Then they would have to find a way to find Kalawarner and Akeno as well. And they had to deal with the situation the Church had informed them about.

They would deal with all of that. But for now, to them, their missing teammates had priority.

* * *

 **This is a shorter chapter, that finishes the Index World arc for the moment. But it will certainly appear again at one point in the story.**

 **It also has the conclusion of the confrontation between Rias and her double. And a cliffhanger regarding the situation with the Dark Issei.**


	29. Chapter 29: Magical Guilds

This chapter has another small crossover with another known Anime.

* * *

 **Chapter 29**

 _Somewhere between the universes_

Issei, his team and the others were just returning to their own world... for the moment.

They had just recovered Irina, who was right now standing right next to him, with his arms wrapped closely around her. He had her back. This thought alone made him happy like he hadn´t been in weeks.

Raynare, Asia and Ravel were standing close by as well. They both felt a little bit of jealousy in the back of their minds about Issei right now turning so much attention to Irina and Irina alone. But they understood that he was just happy to have found her and wanted to spend some time with her, now that they had her back.

His friends Matsuda and Motohama and also Murayama´s friend Katase now knew the truth about them. They had taken it pretty well, all in all.

In a short time, he knew, he would also tell his parents. This he knew would be even harder to him. He had no idea how they would react to all this... If he was honest, he was a bit afraid of their reaction.

But that wasn´t his worry right now. Three of their friends were still missing.

The problem was, the only one left of them they had a clear hint where to find, was Rias.

They would find Akeno and Kalawarner as well, they would make sure of that.

But right now, especially since they actually had a trail for her, their search for Rias came first.

"We are back," Issei said to his two old friends and Katase to inform them.

"And the good news is, we have decided not to erase your memories," Raynare told them smirking.

"Well, that´s a good thing... I guess," Motohama stammered, a bit scared.

While Matsuda´s and Katase´s expression turned into shock as well.

"Raynare," Issei hissed.

"Don´t worry about her," Murayama said to hers and Issei´s friends. "Raynare - Yuuma - here just has a pretty mean sense of humor sometimes. Of course we will not erase your memories."

"As long as you promise not to talk about all this of course," Gaeriel added.

"Oh - we do, we promise," Matsuda said.

"Yes, we promise," Katase confirmed. "Besides, who would belive us something like that anyway?"

"You have a point here," Issei commented. "If you excuse us now. We still have still much to do."

"Yes, we have to find the others," Irina stated.

"Okay, we see you then," his two friends called out. They and Katase were leaving together, a bit quicker than they needed to - and still looking visible nervous. All what they had seen had obviously gotten to them.

And Raynare´s little joke about erasing their minds had certainly not helped.

He watched his three classmates, as they were walking along the next street, away from them. At least this had turned out well.

 **xxx**

But there was also the problem that they had yet another unknown dimensional breach to a universe close by, a breach that was as it seems directly linked to the mysterious attack on the Vatican.

And since they were the Guardian team responsible for this cluster of universes, it was in fact their duty to investigate. They actually should have already started. But...

"I think we should divide our team," he said to them.

"You think a few of us should try to find Rias, while the rest goes to start our mission?" Gaeriel suggested.

"Yes exactly, I think this would be the best solution," Issei replied.

"Maybe you are right," Irina responded. "I guess you will go after Rias now?"

Issei nodded.

"I will. I will find her and then come and join you."

"Okay, then Raynare and I will be leading the other team," Gaeriel stated. "We will try to find out whatever is going on in that world."

"I will go with you Issei," Kiba spoke up. "Rias is both my Master and my friend. Of course I will join your part of the team and help to get her back."

"I want to come too Issei-kun," Asia said. "If we find Rias-sempai and she might be hurt, you could need me. Especially with Raynare-san being on the other team."

"You are right," Issei replied.

I will come with you as well of course," Irina stated. "After you have just found me again, I won´t leave your side for a while."

"You should come with us then," Gaeriel said to Xenovia. "Since this unknowns - whoever they are - have attacked the Vatican, it might be good if we have at least one Exorcist with us."

"Okay," she answered.

In the end they decided that Kiba, Asia, Irina and Ravel would join Issei in his try to find Rias...

... while Raynare, Gaeriel, Xenovia and Murayama would travel to the world where the `other´ dimensional breach had been detected. And the one where these group of `unknowns´ - as Gaeriel had put it - had most likely travelled to.

"What about Odin?" Irina asked. "Will he...?"

Gaeriel shook her head.

"He has already explained this to us, as you remember. He has practically `retired´ in our world. And while he will do everything to help us in this universe, he **won´t** come with us to any others. It is just like the situation with the Guardians as a whole. As long as he won´t leave our universe, the Dark Order will not send anyone the same power against us," she explained. "In theory at least."

"Yeah," Raynare said. "It reminds me a bit of the state between the Three Factions before the peace agreement in our world. Only on a larger scale. But what if Issei-kun surpassed Odin? You have seen what he has done against this SHA creatures. He can not longer be far away from that level... at least in his `Awakening´."

"You are right," Gaeriel admitted. "When he learns to properly control it, he will be at the level of a god... at least. But it also means the Dark Order might send stronger agents into out Universe Cluster in the future, when they find out about it. That is one reason more we all should keep training and improve ourselves," she said, looking at Issei.

But it was not only that, she thought. Issei´s Awakening was not a simply power-up. She had seen it. When he activated it, he crossed for a short time the border between an `normal´ supernatural being... and a Cosmic Entity, like the leaders of the Guardians, the Lords or Ddraig himself had become long ago.

Did that mean he would also get into danger of loosing himself soon? Only time could tell here. But she and the others would do everything to help him if this was the case.

"Let us take care of the problems at hand for now," Issei responded. "When we all are ready, we can start out next trip."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _An unknown world_

Rias had just been loosing consciousness, as two figures were slowly appearing.

One of them was a little girl, the other a older man.

"Look grandpa, I have found someone," the child called out.

They both had seen the outbreak of energy a few moments earlier.

"It is a young girl," the man said. "She is injured. It looks like some kind of burn wounds."

"Do you think she is a wizard?" the granddaughter asked.

"That is good possible," the old man replied. "Even if she is not, the Guild is not far away. And I am sure they will have a healer there, who could help her, as well. So I think it would be a good idea to bring her to them anyway."

 **xxx**

`Rias´ was loosing the last rest of her consciousness quickly. She knew she was dieing. No, she was already as good as dead.

She - or rather what was left of her - could barely stay awake for another few seconds. But it was enough to realize the state she was in.

She wanted to scream, to rant. Damn it, fuck it all. But she couldn´t. She could not move a limb. She could not talk.

In her last second, she realized how badly she had underestimated her soft other self. Instead of mocking and berating her, she should have killed her right away.

She had tried to shield herself as the Power of Destruction hit her. But the attack was too strong. Literally half her body had been burned away. Her legs, one of her arms, were gone. Most of the rest was a charred mass. In short words, there was nothing left of her but a wrecked lump of flesh.

It was only her last remaining power and magic that kept the remains of her body alive... but only for a few more moments.

She - she didn´t want to die. So, mostly subconsciously, she was using all her remaining energy to cling to life... barely. In truth however, she was only prolonging her death. And even that only for a few moments.

Killed by her own power. Could there even be a greater humiliation?

"Now, what do we have here?" a cold voice was to hear... `Issei´, a small part of her that was still there, realized.

"I guess I will have the pleasure to see you die after all," he said grimly.

She was no longer able to answer to his mocking words. Or to say anything at all.

"Now, which one are you?" he asked. "It doesn´t matter. I will get the other one anyway soon."

He raised his foot and placed it above her destroyed body.

"Funny, it seems that even `Rias Gremory´ wants to see you dead Rias," he commented with cruel sarcasm. "Well, who are we to disappoint her?"

He stepped down on her throat and crushed it under his heel.

With dark glee and satisfaction, he just saw Rias Gremory die.

And he knew in a short time, he would have the same pleasure again.

He was looking at her remaining arm for a moment, but he could not see the small transport device, the one that had brought them here, on her wrist.

The last time he had seen it, it had been in the possesion of Rias double. But he could not be completely sure. Maybe she had stolen it from her counterpart and left her to die.

But no - somehow, his instincts told him that this had been the Rias Gremory he had known. That means the bitch who had destroyed his life had finally met the miserable end she deserved.

In the end, it didn´t matter... because the other one would join her in death very soon. A smile formed on his face.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Somewhere else..._

As Rias woke up again, she found herself not longer outside, but in a small room.

And she heard voices close by. From behind the door.

Someone must have found her, she realized... and brought her inside. But who? Natives of this world obviously.

Suddenly she realized that someone else was with her in the room. As she looked up, she saw a blonde haired young girl.

One moment later she noticed that the girl was also radiating a strange sort of power... no, it was clearly some kind of magic. Rias knew she should have sensed it earlier, just like the other person´s presence in the room. But it seemed she was just too weary.

"Ahm, hello," Rias greeted her.

"Hellou´," the girl replied. "It is goad´ to see that yo´ hav wok..n up," she told her.

... Or at least that was what she understood.

Her words sounded somehow strange to Rias. She realized that she had somehow trouble understanding her, even with the magical lingual abilities of the Devils.

She never had this problem before. Not in the world that were mostly identical with her own - that means with the Three Factions like she knew them existing and even counterparts of herself and the people she knew.

But maybe this universe was simply that much further away, more different, from her own.

As she was in the homeworld of the Guardians, they had easily bridged any language gap between them with their immense telepathic abilities. If you could simply transfer weeks worth of magical knowledge directly into someone´s mind, understanding of a language shouldn´t be a great problem, right?

But here she was on her own.

And at least in all these other worlds, they had been speaking some variant of Japanise or Englisch. Both languages she knew anyway. Here however, if she hadn´t been a Devil, she would have probably not understood a single word.

"How a´re you´ fee..lin´?" the girl asked her.

"W-where am I?" Rias asked her.

"You are in the Guild Hall. An old man and his granddaughter has found you injured somewhere close to the town and brought you here. They had seen some kind of explosion and thought you might be a wizard."

"Guild Hall? Town? Wizard?" Rias asked confused. "Can - can you please tell me where I am?"

"You are in Magnolia, at the Fairy Tail Guild," the girl told her smiling.

Magnolia, Fairy Tail Guild, nothing of this meant anything to Rias. But at least it seemed she was starting to understand her better now.

"I am Lucy," the girl introduced herself.

"I..." Rias started to reply.

`Issei´, she suddenly realized. He would still be after her.

By being here, she would only put these people in danger, whoever they are. But... another part of her realized, they might also be the only ones who could protect her from him. This girl had mentioned something about wizards. If they were at least somewhat powerful, they could...

... No, she told herself. Issei´s manical double was her problem. She would **not** use this people to save her own ass. She would not... she would not be like **her**.

Nearly instinctively, Rias powered up... a little bit.

But this was already enough to cause a look of shock to appear on the other girl´s face.

"You - you are," she stammered.

One moment later the door of the room was being thrown open and in came a group of two young men and three women. The first was a tall redhead, with a hair color nearly identical to her own, in some kind of knight´s armor, who radiated a very impressive magical power and two woman with white hair, one a few years younger as the other. They had some ressemblance to each other and Rias thought that they were probably sisters.

But Rias didn´t paid much attention to them. No, it was one young man in front of their group, who her eyes were practically glued on. It was a face that she knew. She had only seen it once, on a recording as she had been on the Guardian homeword, taken from one of the many alternate realities. But it had been enough to make more than an impression. It was the same pinkish colored hair, the same muscular figure, the same features.

She had seen this man - who her other self had turned into a servant - rebelling against her, running away... and killing Raiser Phenex of all people with just one strike... ripping his f..king heart out.

"No..." she called out, horrified she was taking one step back, then another, until her back was literally against the wall. "I - I am sorry," Rias stammered. "I... it - it wasn´t me. You have to believe me. I - I just look like her," she said desperately. "I am..."

She knew she had gotten a lot stronger in the last months. Her own power was now probably rivalling Raiser´s own. But if this guy could kill someone like him with one move, what chance did she have, even with her improved power? And he was here surrounded by his friends, while she was alone.

"Natsu, what in the world is she talking about?" the younger one of the white haired women asked him."

"Beats me. I have for sure never seen her before," he replied. "Maybe she mistakes me for someone else." His eyes narrowed somewhat.

"Or she has heard about how we beat the Tartaros Guild. You all sense her energy, right? And I can smell it as well."

This calmed Rias down somewhat. It was obvious that he was not the same man she had see in the recording... but just another alternate counterpart. Just like the Rias who had enslaved the other one was not **her**.

But the next words just returned her bad feelings again.

"It doesn´t really matter," one of the others, a equally young man with black hair said. "You all sense it, she is a Demon." The anger in his voice was unmistakable. "Have you forgotten what her kind has done?"

"She is not like the demons we know of," the older white haired girl stated. "Whatever she is, she is somewhat different."

"Still - hundreds, maybe thousands, of innocents died because of her `relatives´," the dark haired man said. "And we have nothing that suggests that she is any different. You have heard what the people who brought her said. They have seen an explosion. For all we know she could have been attacking someone and just got beaten."

`Just Great,´ Rias thought as she heard the last part. This couldn´t have gone any better. As it looked the people in this universe had a serious axe to grind with demonic beings.

"Maybe you should calm down Gray," the girl called Lucy spoke up. "Like Mira said, she isn´t one of this Demons. We have never actually seem something like her before. And she had been talking with me peacefully, until you all barked in. So please stop trying to intimidate her."

"You are right," the red headed woman said. "If she causes trouble, we can still eliminate her."

"I said **not** to intimidate her Erza," Lucy exclaimed.

"I - I am not a Demon," Rias finally managed to say. "I am a Devil."

"Huh, what exactly is the difference?" Natsu asked.

Rias couldn´t help to still be fearful around him.

"I... let us say Devils are something like another sub-race of Demons as a whole... look, please just let me leave peacefully. I am not trying to hurt anyone. And I am not one of the creature you have met before. You said this yourself."

"My name is Rias," she introduced herself.

While they were talking, the others were leading her out of the small room, into a larger hall, where a lot of other people were assembled.

She could make out an very short old man, who was standing in front of the crowd. At the outside he was not impressive looking, but Rias could feel a very large magical power inside him.

Next to him was a man with long very wild looking black hair and a blue haired woman, standing close to the man.

Another man with white hair, identical to the two sisters and several others.

Then there was a dark haired woman, a younger pink haired one and a man with blue hair, sitting at one of the tables.

On another one were sitting the old man and the girl who had originally found her. But being mostly unconscious at that time, Rias didn´t recognize them

"Why are you so afraid?" Lucy asked her as they entered the larger room. They all had noticed it.

"I... there is someone after me," she admitted.

"Who is?" Natsu wanted to know. "I guess he was responsible for your injuries.

"Yes," Rias said.

"Tell us the truth Demon?" the man named Gray asked. He sounded a bit less aggressive than before. But that didn´t mean he was friendly.

"He is insane," Rias replied. "He wants to kill me just because of what I am." She said this with a subtle look in Gray´s direction. "He had already been hunting me through several... towns." Another dimension actually, she thought. But telling these people this would be too complicated.

"That is enough Gray," the old man said. "My name is Master Makarov. You are here in the Guild Hall of the Fairy Tail Magical Guild, in case my Children - that means the members of my Guild - have not told you yet.

We won´t harm you if you don´t try to harm us," he promised her. "And we certainly won´t just hand you over to this man who is after you. Not after you have been delivered to us in a helpless state like this.

But you should understand that an attack of Tartaros - a Guild consisting of Demons - had caused great damage and killed many innocent people not too long ago. And since you are a being obviously related to these creature, many people won´t be exactly friendly to you."

"Yes, I have figured that out," Rias commented.

"By the way," Makarov said, "this are the people who had originally found you." He pointed to the old man and the girl. "This is Saul and his granddaughter Iria."

"I - I am glad to meet you," Rias said to them.

She realized that this too as well had started to look at her wearily, as Makarov had mentioned her relation to this `Demons´. But her friendly words seemed to have calmed them down somewhat.

"So you are all Wizards?" she asked them.

"Yes we are," Natsu declared. "And we are all from Fairy Tail. Well, except Ultear, Jellal and Meridy here." He gestured to the black haired woman and her two companions.

"They are actually from a group allied to us," Makarov explained.

Rias saw the eyes of the woman called Ultear narrowing down on her.

"Tell me Rias... is there anything else we should know about?" she asked her pointedly. "The others can most likely not sense it, but I feel a strange presence of power related to time and space radiating from you. I can tell, because my own powers are based on this."

"That-that is true. I had transported myself here to escape him... whereever here is... to escape him. But if I am honest, I have not the slightest idea where I had ended up."

"Can - can it be that you are from another world?" Lucy asked.

"You can not be serious," Gray said.

"Why not? She is from a race we have never seen before and she herself admitted that she had just appeared here."

"How do you know about other worlds?" Rias wanted to know.

"We have actually visited one some years ago," Natsu informed her.

Rias nodded.

"Can you tell me something about this `Demons´ of yours?" she asked.

"The current race of Demons had been created by an evil Wizard, who had been terrorizing this land for a long time to serve his own goals," Makarov explained. "There are however stories that they had been based on even older demonic races, that had vanished from this world a long time ago..."

It was in this moment however, before the old man could even end his explanation, that they all felt `Isseis´ menacing presence outside.

He had found her, Rias thought.

 **xxx**

As the Wizards run outside, Rias a bit relutantly following them... the saw him.

His Sacred Geard was materialized on his left arm. But otherwise he was looking like a normal teenager - `Issei´.

"Oh hello Rias," he addressed her, "it seems I have found you."

She realized that the Wizards were not understanding a single word of what he was saying. Rias decided to try something and concentrated her own mental powers on them - the technique she learned from the Guardians.

"What are you doing?" Natsu asked her a moment later, having realized what happened.

"Sorry. I just saw that you didn´t understand anything. So I have just transfered the knowledge about my language into your minds."

"Then why did we understand you before?" Gray asked her.

"Well, Devils have just the magical ability to understand and speak other languages," she said.

"Be careful," Natsu said to them all. "I sense the presence of a Dragon on him, a **damned** powerful one."

"So he is a Dragon Slayer like you?" Lucy asked him.

"No - something different," Natsu replied.

"You have no idea," `Issei´ spoke up. "How nice. It is good to see you of all people actually doing something useful for once," he said to Rias.

"Now that we can talk. why don´t you just hand this creature over to me?" he asked the assembled mages completely casually.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Issei´s homeworld_

They were now ready to depart.

"Issei, you won´t believe this," Gaeriel said to him as their now two teams had just assembled. "I have checked the world where this mysterious attackers seemed to have been travelled to..."

"And?" Issei asked her,

"... it is one we came across with before," she explained.

"Which one?" Raynare wanted to know.

Gaeriel sighed.

"It is the world of the Issei Hyoudou, who had helped us in the fight against Alyk and Kokabiel."

"Him?" Asia was surpised. "Issei-kun, isn´t that a strange coincidence?"

"Yes," Irina stated as well. "I mean we have found out that there are hundreds of worlds just like ours, right? And at least thousands more that have some similarities. And from all possible worlds, they went just there?"

"I admit it is strange," Issei said, "but it **could** be just an coincidence."

"Anyway, I will be happy to see you - ah well, the **other** you - again Issei-kun," Asia told him. "I hope he is alright," she said, "after all what happened."

"In that case, maybe we should try to contact him and the other Irina first," Raynare pointed out. "If we already know someone from this world, why not take advantage of it?"

"It would in every case be better than to just materialize just outside of Vatican town," Gaeriel stated. "Especially with our group being led by two Fallen Angels. The Guardians might be allies of the Church, but we have not been in contact with them in that world for a long time."

"Okay, do that," Issei told them. "Be carefull, you all...

... and don´t have sex with my counterpart," he told them with a sly grin. "At least not until Asia and I arrive to join in."

"I-Issei-kun, don´t say something like this," the former Nun said with a red face.

"We will be able to hold ourselves back," Murayama of all people replied equally sharkily. "I am sure your little mistresses can not wait for their chance to do it with two Issei´s at once."

"What?" Ravel called out.

"W-why are you saying something like this Murayama-san?" Asia asked. "Y-you are starting to sound like Raynare-chan."

"Yes, she is always teasing us," Irina commented, "and now you are starting as well."

"Oh come on, you know I only do that because I love you two like two little sisters," Raynare said. "But I have to keep up my reputation somehow, right?"

"Let us stop this bickering," Gaeriel told them. "We all have something to do after all."

Se activated the transport device and opened the portal that would being her and her half of the team to their destination. A second later Issei was doing the same thing. Both groups stepped through the portals once again and left their homeworld.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Rias World_

"Why would we?" Natsu replied. "She has told us that you were hunting her down and try to kill her."

"And why shouldn´t I?" `Issei´ replied. "Do you even know what she is? Her kind does nothing but use and abuse human for their own gain. You are human, aren´t you? Why would you protect a creature like her?

This monster has send me into a deathtrap. She has murdered my girlfriend in front of my eyes. She has tried to turn me into her slave, to take my humanity from me," he growled.

"I did no such thing," Rias shouted at him. "He is lying," she explained. "It was another Devil who did all this. He just wants to kill me because of who I am. He is completely insane."

"Does it make any difference?" `Issei´ asked non-caring. "You and **her** are one and the same after all."

"Moment," Gray said, "you mean you want to kill this girl over something someone **else** did?" He now placed himself between both of them. Rias was surprised that the same guy who had obviously been against her from the first second was now defending her.

The entire group of Wizard was now powering up.

"Do you really not realize what she is doing?" `Issei´ asked them smiling friendly. "She is using you all. She is hiding behind you like the coward she is. Like her kind always does.

I can sense that at least a few of you have powers connected to Dragons, like myself. And most others are also powerful Wizard in their own right. That is quite impressive. But believe me, I am powerful as well. Do you really want to risk your lives for a creature like that?"

" **Wait** ," Rias said loud. "Issei-san, this is between you and me. Leave them out of it."

"How funny," Issei responded sarcastically. "The Devil trying to act like a hero."

"How about you cut this crap Issei," Rias said. "I get it. You hate me. You hate what I am and want me dead. You have made this more than clear... My only question is, if I face you alone by myself, will you leave this people alone and not harm them? Who have nothing to do with me anyway?"

Issei´s insane double smiled.

"Oh don´t worry. They are of no real interest to me. As you said, they have nothing to do with you. Their only sin is to protect a filthy Devil... and they obviously don´t know what you are. So yes - I guess I will do nothing to them," he assured her.

" **What?** No Ddraig, I say it again, this Devil will die and that is final." He suddenly seemed to start speaking with himself. "You know what she had done to me... Yes, I realize it was the other her, but what difference does it mean?... Oh and don´t forget, we will need her little device, if we ever want to go home. Unless you want Albion to win your competition without even lifting a finger?... I knew you would see reason," `Issei stated a moment later.

Around, the others were all looking at him as if he had lost his mind.

"What is with him?" the girl named Meredy asked.

"Is he crazy?" Lucy said. "I mean **completely** crazy?"

"That goes without saying," Ultear commented. "But I don´t think that is it here."

"He is talking to his Dragon," the pink haired man named Natsu stated. "I can sense it."

"Okay," Rias stated and stepped forward. Her leg was hurting. Her wounds had been treated, but still not healed.

"Wait, you don´t have to do this," Natsu called out.

It was kind of funny, Rias thought, that she had expected this man to murder her on sight. Instead he was protecting her, despite that he barely know her and the fact that she was a being related to the creatures who had, according to them, attacked this place and killed many people.

"Yes, please stop," Lucy said. "You are still hurt. You have no chance."

"Whatever you are," Gray told her, "you can not expect us to just stand by and let him murder you."

"Please trust me," she said to the assembled Wizards behind her. "This is **my** fight. So please stay out of it. I know what I´m doing. I can deal with this... **trust** me," she told Natsu and Gray, who were both still holding up their power, looking ready to attack the newcomer.

The other mages of their Guild, as well as the trio of Ultear, Meredy and the man named Jellal, were also still ready to fight. But not as obviously as this two.

"How brave of you," `Issei´ addressed her as he begann to power up. "As a small reward I will make your death not quite as painful as I intended. But yet, I look out to see you die again Rias Gremory."

`No, you won´t,´ Rias thought. She might not had a chance in a fight, but that didn´t mean she didn´t have a plan. She just wanted to make sure that the human mages didn´t get involved and maybe died defending her.

With a subtle movement, she activated the device on her wrist... and opened another portal... right next to them.

Taken by surprise, Issei´s double looked up... and that was what she had been waiting for. In this moment she fired a blast of Power of Destruction, augmented by her ki, directly at his face. She knew it would probably not be enough. But at least it would be a distraction.

`Issei´ let out a terrible scream as the attack hit him. Instinctively he had used all his powers to shield himself.

But Rias had already used this chance and run forward... right to the opened portal.

"No,,, you won´t," `Issei´ screamed at her in a wild rage and managed to grab her by the wrist... but she ripped herself loose and jumped through the portal. Then she was gone.

"No," `Issei´ shouted in his mindless anger. "This slut. This goddamned whore." He had visible burn marks on his face. Had he been someone less powerful, he would have lost his head, literally.

"Now, how about you leave?" he heard the old man Makarov addressing him. "The girl you were after is gone... and you have not exactly made a good first impression. But if you rather fight... you will have **all** of us against you."

`Issei´growled at them. He was angry beyond believe. But they were right. This was pointless. And it would be him alone against dozens of Sorcerors with unknown abilities. Not that he was afraid. But there was nothing to reach for him here.

In this moment however something happened that nobody had expected.

A small group of people appeared in the air before them. The one in the front was a young man, clad in a deep red scale armor, only his head free. `Issei´ was looking into his own face.

Behind him were Ravel and Yuuto, flying in the air with their wings and carrying Asia and Irina.

"She had been here just a minute ago Issei-kun," Irina stated. "A portal had been opened right here. And you saw that explosion."

"That was Power of Destruction," Kiba said. "I am sure of it."

"Are you looking for the red headed whore?" `Issei´ addressed them. "I have to say, I am surprised. You know the saying, if you travel far enough, you can meet yourself?" He grinned. "It seems to be true."

"Where is Rias?" Issei asked him.

"Now now, why are you looking for that filthy Devil? Don´t tell me you are still her lapdog? But I don´t sense any Evil Pieces in you."

"I don´t serve the Devils," Issei asked him. "Rias is a friend and we try to find her."

His double however only started to laugh.

"Friends with a Devil? And they say I am the crazy one."

Kiba had enough and draw his sword.

"Where is Rias? What have you done to her?"

"Ah - Kiba Yuuto, always standing up for his Master, always willing to fight for her. Like a good little bootlicker. I knew you in my world... You are **dead** in my world, luckily." He laughed again.

"Oh Issei, a little tip. Don´t trust this red haired Devil. She will make you think she cares. She will make you think she is your friend. She will make you think she is a good person... and then she will send you to your death and bring you back as her slave and take everything from you you care about. Just wait, you will see I am right... And besides, don´t you think the color of blood would match great with her hair?"

"Enough," Issei called out. "Tell me what happened you lunatic." He had already met a few doubles of himself. But he couldn´t help it, something about this one made a cold shiver running down his shoulders.

"Where is only one thing Devils are good for," `Issei´ exclaimed. "Dragon-Shot!" He raised his hand and fired a blast, directly in Ravel´s direction.

Faster than the eye could see, Issei moved and shielded her from the attack.

"You bastard," he hissed. But then he saw that his double had already formed a magic-circle and teleported away.

"He is gone," Issei said.

"Excuse me," the old man in front of the natives, who were obviously Wizards greeted them. "If you look for this red-haired girl named Rias, who called herself a Devil. We have found her injured and taken care of her. But then she opened this strange portal to escape this madman."

"Thank you," Issei replied.

"But I find it curious that you and he look exactly the same," Makarov continued. "Do I guess right that you all are not from his world?"

Issei noticed that most of the others around were looking at him with some distrust. He couldn´t hold it against them after the crazy display from his counterpart.

"The portal," he said, "Can we locate where it has led to?" he asked looking at Irina, who was holding her own control device up in the direction the portal had been. "Ddraig? Please, can you help me find her someow?"

 **[I am on it Partner,]** the Dragon answered. This time everyone around was able to hear him.

The mages and the two townspeople who had originally found Rias were watching in fascination.

"We can always do the same thing again, right Issei-kun?" Asia asked him. "Looking for this... dimensional breaches and then using our connection to Rias to find out which one it was and..."

 **[Partner, I think we are lucky,]** Ddraig said. **[The portal, I still sense traces of it. Issei - concentrate, tell me can you sense this Devi Rias on the other side.]**

"I..." Issei replied unsure. He was starting to activate his telepathic powers and concentrated it at the spot the portal had been, "... yes," he finally said, "I sense her."

 **[Let us try something Partner. Concentrate our power and open the portal again.]**

`The control device...´ Issei thought.

 **[You dont need the device,] the Dragon´s voice boomed through the air.** ** **[You have seen Darien and others open portals without it. You can do the same. Just us your - our - power and do it.]****

Issei nodded. He channeled his power, more and more of it. Without fully noticing it, he tapped for a moment into his `Awakening´ state and then finally... the portal opened again.

"Hey," they suddenly heard Natsu calling out to them. "But could you explain to us what the heck is going on?"

"Sorry," Issei replied, "but we are in a hurry. I am not sure long long me and Ddraig can keep this portal open. Thank you for helping Rias. We will make it up to you, if we will return some day, I promise... Go," he said to the others.

With this they run to the portal, closely followed by Issei himself.

The Mages of Fairy Tail stayed behind.

"Well, this was a strange day," Natsu commented, "even by our standards, right Master?" he addressed the old man.

 **xxxxxxx**

Many miles away, where the other Issei Hyoudou had materialized himself after his teleportation.

A part of him was still angry... angry that the blasted double of that bitch had managed to escape him, angry that she was still alive, angry at the injury he had, angry that these blasted fools had been helping the wretched Devil.

But on the other side he felt triumph. He remembered how the Rias of his world died through his hand. She had finally gotten what he deserved.

And there was another thing... he looked down at his hand and the object he was holding in it... the dimension-travel controller.

`Issei Hyoudou´ started to laugh loud.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Akeno´s World_

She had by now spend a few days in this new strange reality... and she had found out a bit more about the history of this world.

It had been her still not exactly happy host, the Raynare of this reality, who had told her most about it.

What she had heard both shocked and unsettled her.

The first and most shocking thing was.. the Underworld had been destroyed in this reality, devastated and turned into a lifeless wasteland by a war that had started several centuries ago.

At first she had not wanted to believe it, but the native Raynare had told her and Issei and this world´s Shuri had confirmed it during their last meeting.

This war, it had been conflict so devastating that it left the three Faction like she knew that as a mere shadow of what they had been before. Even the Great War had not caused nearly as much damage to them.

It had however not been a war just between Devils and Angels or Fallen, or even higher beings like Ddraig, Albion or even Ophis or Great Red.

No, the enemy had been a mysterious foe only called the Erebos. Akeno had never heard about these beings before. By what she had been told however, they had been a demonic race, that had suddenly appeared at both Earth and the Underworld.

Another side-effect of the same was was that it had led on Earth to the rise of a great number of so called Magical Guilds, that had been formed by human sorcerers.

She had been quite surprised as she had found out that these human Magic Guilds were now one of the strongest forces in the Supernatural World of this reality.

While Devils and Fallen Angels were severly weakened and mostly reduced to a handfull of struggling survivors.

And even more was she surprised about the fact that the Hyoudous were actually members of one of these Guilds. Issei - this Issei - was a Wizard, just like his father and mother.

The Hyoudou´s, a family of Sorcerors, she thought by herself. It was quite bizarre. Well, she guessed the Issei of her own world was not so much different. But his parents like she knew them were simply normal people and it was hard for her to think of them otherwise. At least this explained the strange magical artifacts she had seen inside Issei´s home.

Okay, it shocked her not nearly as much as the fact of the Gremories - or Mac Greymores as they called themselves - seemingly being human. But it was odd enough.

She had also found out that both, her own other self and Shuri and Koneko´s counterpart and her sister were under Issei´s and his parents protection... from the Himejima Clan and Devils as well.

Despite that, her other self and Shuri had still a very good relationship with their husband/father Baraquiel.

This made Akeno cringe actually, especially given the verbal beat-down she had gotten from her other self from the future timeline not so long ago. She had spend years rejecting her father after the loss of her mother... and the Akeno here still had **both** of them. She was starting to realize what a fool she had been.

Shuri would never have blamed Baraquiel for failing to protect her from the Himejimas. She would never be happy about Akeno rejecting him and her Fallen Angel heritage. Shuri was the one who had loved and accepted and even married him in the first place. Shuri was the one who willingly had a child with him.

By rejecting all that, she had only soiled her own mothers memory. `Akeno Himejima, you are an idiot,´ she told herself.

The time she had spend around **this** Shuri had made that more than obvious to her.

It was still painful, having her mother back... but it still not really being her. Worse, she had her own Akeno, who was still the Human-Fallen Angel hybrid she had originally given birth to... and not a resurrected Devil.

It was not that Shuri treated her badly. In fact she was as friendly to her and treated her as well, as you could **expect** it for a twisted double of her daughter from another dimension, who had been turned into a Devil servant... An that was exactly what hurt.

Akeno could see how the woman was unsure how to act around her. How her presence seemed to make her nervous. How she was trying to hide it.

Maybe Shuri saw her as a painful reminder of what could have been, she thought. Of what could have happened to her Akeno, if she had died that day.

 **xxx**

Akeno remembered more about the conflict that had turned this world into what it was today.

The war against the Erebos had been going on for a long time. Well, maybe not that long, compared to the Great War or even the Devil Civil War, that happened right before, but certainly for a teenager like her.

Akeno couldn´t help, this remided her all too much of dimension travellers like herself.

Did this `Erebos´ came from somewhere else out there? Had they invaded this reality?

The war only ended when all the survivors of the Three Faction and also humanity - including the at that time new formed Magical Guilds of this world - had bounded together to fight their common enemy. They drove them back and defeated them in several battles, according to what this world´s versions of Issei and Raynare told her.

Still, it left a lot of questions open. Where had this Erebos gone to when they retreated? Are they still out there?

And why in the world were Rias and her familiy human? It was clear that the Mac Greymores were identical to the Gremories - or at least this world´s version of them. And `Rias´ had herself admitted to her that she didn´t knew much about her family´s history before her parent´s generation.

All that had led her to suspect more and more that the Gremories had somehow turned themselves human, possibly to escape their enemies.

 **xxx**

In this moment Akeno and Raynare were on their way through the town to meet up with `Issei´, `Rias´ and Koneko - no, Shirone, close to Issei´s home. From there they would walk together to the school.

She had gotten incredible bored, just sitting around at Raynare´s or Issei´s home.

She had for a short time watched Issei perform some kind of magic rites and experiments. One of them had included some kind of magic cirlce of a form she had never seen before, that he had used for a ritual. But even that had gone sour after some time.

Being inside the entire time had been slwoly driving her crazy. So she had finally asked first Raynare and then Shuri for some time outside. And so Issei had offered her to switch places with their Akeno for one day.

The other Akeno, her double, as it turned out, had been all too happy about the chance to skip school for one day. Shuri had also not been exaclty pleased about her daughter using this as an excuse to miss school. But she also realized that Akeno could not simply stay in Raynare´s appartment the entire time.

"By the way Raynare-san," Akeno asked her, "you have never told me how exactly you ended up in Issei´s service. I mean, why has Azazel-dono agreed to that?"

"I don´t really feel like talking about it," the Fallen Angel replied.

"Oh I see, it is one of **this** stories," Akeno said.

The sour face Raynare made at this comment told her more than enough.

In this moment they were seeing `Issei´, Koneko - no Shirone - and `Rias´ standing at a street corner close by.

Alone looking at the brown haired, bespectacled, small breasted girl, who was wearing the features of her best friend and Master felt bizarre.

"And... Akeno, how have you been?" Issei´s counterpart asked her.

"Well, but a bit bored," she answered. "That is the reason I am coming with you today."

"Yes - Raynare and Shuri-san have told me about that," `Issei´ replied. "I am not sure how different this Kuoh Academy is from the one you know Akeno-san."

"I know. I will just have to try to deal with it," Akeno said. "You have already told me some things. For example that you are the head of the Student Council Issei-san, instead of Sona."

"That stupid Devil bitch," Human Rias commented. "But I am curious how my friends will react to you. Do you think they will notice any differnce Issei-kun?" she asked.

"If they do, they will probably blame it on Akeno simply acting a bit different than usual," he replied. "If at all, they will find it probably strange that you and her suddenly go along so `well´ with each other."

"Oh yes," Rias giggled, "you can say that. But it is not everyday you meet a double of someone you know from another universe. It is just fascinating, don´t you think? But instead of another Akeno, it could have been a second Murayama or Katase. That would be great."

"Don´t even say it," Shirone said sourly. "I am sure we will be running into the rest of the Perverted Trio soon enough."

"Ahm - excuse me," Akeno asked them, "but you have told me that Matsuda and Motohama-san are part of the Student Council here, together with Issei. How can they still be known as the Perverted Trio?"

All of them were now looking at her surprised.

"What are you talking about?" Shirone asked her. "The Perverted Trio, that are her..." she pointed at Human Rias, "... and these other two demented girls she is always hanging out with..."

"Hey, this are my friends you are talking about," Rias called out.

"... her best friends Katase and Murayama," Shirone continued. "And they have truly deserved that name with their antics."

"Hmm, it is not our fault that we have learned to be honest with ourselves and our desires," Human Rias murmured.

"Moment. **What!?** " Akeno called out. Okay, this world here was officially crazy, she thought.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _`Devil Isseis´ World_

The group led by Gaeriel and Raynare had just arrived. They had programmed the portal to bring them to the town border of Kuoh, this world´s version of Kuoh.

They hoped that Issei´s counterpart would still be here. They couldn´t be sure how the relationship between Devils and Fallen Angels was right now in this world. But appearing here, at the edge of Kuoh and asking to meet Issei Hyoudou and Irina Shido would in every case be better than show up right at the border of the Vatican and hope for the best.

"I think I will never get completely used to this," Murayama stated. "This looks exactly like our hometown."

They didn´t have to wait long. Neither of them had made any attempt to hide their presence. In fact, Raynare in Gaeriel had been powering up somewhat to announce their arrival. They were visitors on a official mission after all.

They were reliefed somewhat to see Issei between the group of Devils that just appeared in a magic circle in a short distance to them, together with Sona and her peerage. It was possible that the Sitri heiress had taken him in, after his old peerage had been killed.

"Oh," it is you, " the other Issei said, recognizing them, especially Gaeriel, whose counterpart he never met.

"Issei Hyoudou," Gaeriel said, "it is good to see you again."

"It is," he replied. His expression however became a bit painful, when his look went over Raynare.

"It is okay Sona, I know them. They are the ones me and Irina have told you about. We have together defeated Rias and the other´s murderer."

"How can you be completely sure that they are the same ones, if everyone of us has many doubles out there as you claimed?" Sona stated.

"Good question. Gaeriel, how have we met the first time?"

"You found me at the border of your Kuoh and attacked me. During that you and your Irina had accidentally followed my through the portal."

"It **is** them," he said to Sona.

Right then however a second magic circle appeared on the ground and a second group of Devils appeared. Obviously someone else had taken over Rias position here after her death.

"It is okay Sairaorg," Sona addressed the leader of the group. "These aren´t enemies."

Sairaorg Bael, they recognized him - in their world and most likely this one too, known as the strongest young Devil.

 **xxxxxxx**

Rias realized that she had returned to Kuoh. But she was pretty sure that this was not the same Kuoh she came from.

Normally the controller was programmed to bring them only to worlds like this, universes similar to her own - of their own Cluster, as the Guardians called it. But in the last trip, it obviously had malfunctioned somewhat, to bring her to a world so different. Possibly through Azazel tinkering with the device.

The controller was gone, she had realized.

Issei´s double had ripped it out of her hand. She only hoped that he didn´t manage to use it to cause any kind of harm out there.

And that meant she had not longer any possibility to leave this world. She was now stranded here for good. Her only hope left now was that the others would locate this universe and find her.

And if not...

This time she decided to power up right away, to announce her presence to the Devils... or whoever was in control of this town. So that nobody could accuse her of trying to sneak in or to spy.

She knew logically, there was a chance that this Kuoh existed without any Supernatural interference at all and was only habitated by humans. But in most worlds of their Cluster, she knew from the Guardians, it was a Devil stronghold and so probably here as well.

She could only hope that these Devils would be more friendly than the last ones she met.

She didn´t have to wait long.

After the magic circle lighted up on the ground before her, she was however more than surprised about the persons appearing out of it.

"Lady Rias," the leader of the newcomers greeted her, "what are you doing here?"

It was nobody else than Yubeluna, Raiser´s Queen, with two of his Pawns standing behind her.

"We thought you and Akeno were in the Underworld with Lord Raiser. And what happened to you. You look terrible. Has someone attacked you?"

"Well, yes... but... Yubeluna," Rias said serious, "there is something I have to tell you. And you probably won´t believe me."

"Okay. But I think we should inform Lord Raiser first. He will not be happy that someone has tried to harm his wife."

"What?" Rias called out.

 **xxx**

What neither of them knew, Issei was right now about to open another portal into this world.

* * *

 **Author´s notes: Okay, the mini-crossover with Fairy Tail in this chapter. I was a bit unsure about doing it at all. At the first look, it seems to have little purpose. But it was a element in Rias character development.**

 **For reminders: In the second Arc, when Issei and his group were watching (partly kind comedical) recordings from other realities, it was one of them under it where an (unwilling) Servant of Rias had rebelled and killed Raiser (her husband in this world) as he was running away. This scene came from the story "Dragon Slaying Devil" what happened to be a Fairy Tail crossover and the unwilling Servant in question was a version of Natsu Dragneel.**

 **By watching this scene and the other Raiser´s cruesome death however, Rias developed an unconscious fear that her own Servants might secretly resent her and could rebel. This was one of the first impulses for her to change her attitude about the Devils habbit of recruiting Servants and herself. And it was now finished by actually facing another version of Natsu.**

 **So this short mini-crossover had been in planning, more or less, since back then.**

 **As most of you probably realize, that was not the main Fairy Tail reality, alone because Ultear was still around after it´s version of the Tartaros Arc, but another alternate world.**

 **Side note: The Demons mentioned, who might have existed in the Fairy Tail world before the ones Zeref created, are not necessary the same as the Erebos. It is more like in this story every world has it´s own races of Demons.**

 **And like it was hinted, Rias will truly be recovered in the next chapter.**

 **xxx**

 **Something else. Regarding Issei´s power level. He by now had power rivalling and Ultimate Class being with his `normal´ state + Balance Breaker.**

 **In his `Awakening´ state however, he has access to power rivalling a high-level God and potentially higher.**

 **Also, he possesses the ability to manipulate the laws of time, space and reality. As shown as he has opened a wormhole to transfer a exploding space-ship plus enemy commander right into an Earth Orbit. Or when he simply reopened an interdimensional portal in this chapter.**

 **But he has trouble to hold this state for long and to probably control these powers... for now.**

 **So Issei is on the best way to become OP here.**


	30. Chapter 30: Mrs Phenex

**Chapter 30  
**

 _Rias world  
_

`Husband,´ the world went through Rias mind. So in this world she actually had to marry Raiser.

She wasn´t sure how to feel about this. But it didn´t really matter right now.

"I am sorry for putting it in that was my Lady, but you look terrible." She was fully taking in Rias state, the barely healed injuries, the clothes she had gotten from the Wizard Guilt when they had been taking care of her, clothes that didn´t completely fit her.

"If you have been attacked, just tell us who it was," one of the Pawns asked her.

She looked at Raiser´s Queen and the two Pawns, the Nekomata twins of his peerage. Rias knew what she had to do.

"Yubeluna-san, there is something I have to tell you," she begann. "You will probably not believe me."

"Yes Lady Rias?"

Rias wasn´t sure how Raiser´s Queen would take this information. She would most likely think she was crazy. But if the last experience had thought her something, then that it was better to tell the truth about herself as early as possible. The last thing she needed was being accused of trying to impersonate the local Rias Gremory, once again.

"I - I am not your Lady Rias. At least not the one you know," she said to them. "I am..."

"Oh, and who are you then?" the Pawn named Li asked her. She sounded more than a bit amused with her question and Rias could make out a thin smile on her face. It was not exactly the tone that you would expect from a Devil Servant towards the wife of her King.

But ironically, Rias was happy about the reaction. If they were willing (and able) to act to her like this, then her counterpart in this world was most likely different than the last one she had met.

"I - I am the Rias Gremory from an alternate world," she finally stammered. "I have just arrived here... as I had to flee from a dangerous enemy."

Their reaction was once again a bit different from what she had expected.

Yubeluna´s and the others expression was completely blank for a moment... Then smirks formed on their faces and finally they broke out into halling laughter.

"That´s just great," Ni commented snorting.

"I think Lord Raiser is right Lady Rias - you have seen too many of these japanise science fiction stories," Yubeluna declared, still giggling.

"There is no such thing as **too many** japanise science fiction mangas," Rias declared loudly with some theatrical mock conviction. `Or anything else japanise,´ she added silently.

She wasn´t exactly happy with being laughed at by Raiser´s servants. But she by far preferred it to being imprisoned again.

"This is not some kind of attempt to get out of your promise, isn´t it?" Yubeluna´s expression suddenly turned more serious.

"What are you talking about?"

"Ah, so you pretend you don´t remember now? I am talking about the double-date you have promised me with you and Lord Raiser of course... and what will come afterwards," she added a bit quieter and with an a bit laszively undertone.

Of course Rias knew what she meant. It was common knowledge under High Class Devils that Yubelluna was Raiser´s main mistress, under many others. And that was obviously the case in this world too. And her counterpart was obviously willing to get along with it.

"So my other self has promised you a date and afterwards a threesome with Raiser and her?" Rias stated. "I am not joking here. I am truly not her. Just bring me to Raiser and you will see... when there are two of me there."

"Oh - of course... Lady Rias," Ni replied, still giggling.

"But Master Raiser might decide to make it a foursome instead then. I am sure he has always dreamt about the chance to hace two of you at once," Li added, grinning widely.

"Certainly not," Rias shouted. "I - I am not Raiser´s wife where I come from... and we are not together."

"Sure," Yubelluna replied. "Don´t you think it is enough of the joke?"

"Just bring me to Raiser," she sighed.

At least nobody could claim now that she tried to impersonate her counterpart, she thought.

 **xxx**

A few minutes later - after Raiser´s servants, along with Rias, had teleported away - another portal was forming in the air.

"We have done it," Issei said a few moments later, after he and the others had passed through it.

"Yes - and we are back in Kuoh," Ravel stated.

"Rias is close by," Kiba said. "We have found her."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Devil Issei´s world_

Raynare, Gaeriel and the others were now standing in front of two Devil peerages. One of them led by nobody else than Sairaorg Bael.

The other however included exactly the person they had been looking for... the Issei Hyoudou of this world.

They had just explained the reasons to them why Issei and the rest of their team were not with them and how they would meet up with them later.

"Now tell us, how have things been in your world since we met you the last time?" Raynare asked him.

`Issei´ said nothing for a moment.

"After we had returned, Irina and I brought that murderer´s body to Sirzechs and the other Maou," he finally said. "We gave them a report about what happened and confirmed that it was... him who had killed Rias, Asia and the others."

He kept himself from speaking out the name of his friend´s murderer, because Sairaorg´s peerage was there.

The reason for this was quite simple, one of Sairaorg´s Knights. His name was Liban Crocell. Like the Fallen Angel hybrid Alyk Crocell had been, he was a surviving member of the same now practically extinct Clan of the 73 Pillars.

"I was there to confirm the identity of the killer as well," Sona stated. "Afterwards the tension between the Three Factions waned down a bit, as it became known that neither of the other Factions had been responsible for Rias murder."

"I see," Gaeriel replied.

"Can you tell us why you are here?" Sona wanted to know.

"A few days ago an incident occured on Church territory," Gaeriel stated. "A number of criminals had been freed who the Vatican wanted to lock away."

She made sure not to give any clearer information where and how this happened, just in case the secret prison existed in this reality as well. And revealing this information to a Devil would certainly not help the situation between the Factions.

"Right afterwards the attackers seemingly vanished without trace from our world, which cause the Vatican to call us. As it turned out, these unknown attackers had travelled to your reality."

"Other dimension-travellers?" Sona questioned. "I admit I had been quite sceptical when I heard this story. Have they something to do with this Alyk Crocel?"

This caused two people present to look up. The first was Issei´s counterpart, the other was Liban.

`Issei´ knew that Liban Crocell was not Alyk Crocell. They were not even from the same universe. On a rational level he knew this. But a part of him could still not stop feeling wary around Sairaorg´s Knight.

 **xxx**

Liban himself on the other side had been ashamed as he heard that it had been a member of his Clan who was responsible for such crimes. Alyk Crocell´s counterpart who had existed in this world, was a distant cousin, he had never met in person and who had died a long time ago. There had no sign been found that this version of Alyk had ever been involved with any interdimensional forces. He had just been an outsider between the Factions and the races, who didn´t really seem to belong anywhere.

Still, the knowledge that it had been technically a relative of him, who had not only murdered the sister of one of the Maou and her entire peerage - a group of teenagers - but with this intentionally risked a new war, was eating heavily on Liban. And going by Hyoudou´s and Irina Shidou´s reports, this was only a part of the long list of crimes of this man.

 **xxx**

"We don´t know who they are," it was Raynare who answered. "It is possible. But it could also be a completely different group that is able to travel between the worlds."

"The only thing we know for sure is that this group had materialized in this world somewhere close the the Vatican in Rome," Gaeriel stated.

"Excuse me, but if that is the case, why have you appeared here in Kuoh?" Sairaorg asked, joining the conversation.

"Because **here** at least is someone we know personally," she replied, looking at `Issei´. "While on the other side we never had any direct contact with the Church of your reality and can not know how they would react to us."

In their own home-universe, the Guardians had secretly been in contact with the Church for a longer time by now. But here this was not the case.

"And given the fact that our team includes Fallen Angels and Devils, we didn´t found it a good idea to just show unannounced up right in the heart of Church territory," Raynare added. "So we decided to find you first and check the situation."

"I see," `Issei´ replied. "I guess it is the best when I contact Irina then."

"By the way, how are things between Irina and you going?" Xenovia asked now.

"Very good." The smile that formed on his face as he said this, told more than his words did.

"So you are together?" Xenovia asked him.

"Ahm, we are friends," `Issei´ said.

"You mean **t** **hat** kind of friends?" Raynare asked him pointedly, making the true meaning of her statement all too clear.

"Ahm..."

"Yes, that **kind** of friends," Sona confirmed in his stead. "But Hyoudou-san avoids talking about it in public. For good reasons. A relationship between a Devil - even a reincarnated one - and a Church Exorcist is... difficult, even dangerous. There had been a similar relationship once, that ended up with both getting murdered. We can mention it here, since the members of mine and Sairaorg´s peerages can be trusted. But please don´t talk about it anywhere else."

"Okay, we will remember that," Raynare answered.

"But you should really contact her now," Gaeriel added. "We need to get to Rome and then we have to find these intruders... whoever they are."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Rias world_

All what Yubelluna, the Nekomata Twins, the Rook Xuelan, their Master Raiser Phenex... and Rias Servants, Akeno, Koneko and Kiba could do, was starring from their Lady Rias to the newcomer and back.

Issei´s counterpart was nowhere to see. Of course it was good possible that she had never recruited him in this world, Rias reminded herself. Maybe he was still human, maybe Raynare had never targeted him, maybe she and her team never even came to Kuoh.

The Rias of this world, along with `Akeno´ had just returned to their club in Kuoh Academy, to meet up with her husband. What she didn´t expect was to literally run into herself.

"I don´t believe it," Yubelluna whispered.

Rias gave her a small smile, that meant as much as: `I told you so.´

"What in the world is the meaning of this?" Raiser said quite sharply.

"Ahm - Master Raiser, I think I explain better exactly what this person here - ahm Rias - has told us," Yubelluna tried to explain. "You won´t believe this story when you hear it. Well, we didn´t either. But..." She was once again looking from one Rias to the other.

"Don´t waste my time Yubelluna," he responded impatiently. "Do you know who this person is? And why does she look exactly like my wife?"

"That is something I would like to know myself," the native Rias stated. "I have not expected to came back home and literally walk into myself. This is not some kind of prank from you, isn´t it Akeno?" she addressed her Queen.

"No - I have nothing to do with this. And even if I wanted to, I am not sure how to pull something like this up. I mean - sure, she looks like you. That is one thing. But even her energy is the same."

"Akeno is right," native Koneko said. "She is... exactly the same as you Buchou."

"Exactly," Raiser stated. "So what in the world is going on? If this isn´t some stupid joke, then what? Impersonating a High Class Devil is an insolence of the highest rank. So you better have a good explanation, whoever you are? And you better answer quick," he said to Rias in a threatening tone.

"Raiser, that is enough," `Rias´ said to him. "You have to excuse my husband. He can be a bit of a jerk sometimes. But you have to admit he has a point, you should truly explain a few things to us."

"I already told Yubelluna," Rias replied. "She can tell you. It is your choice if you believe her or not."

She had to admit, she already liked this counterpart of her far more than the last one she met... even if she was now `Mrs Raiser Phenex´.

Had she simply lost her Rating Game against him and they were married afterwards? Since Issei didn´t seem to be part of the peerage, that was good possible.

 **xxx**

A few minutes - and several explanations - later, the assembled Devils were only starring at Rias... and also at Yubelluna, who had told them her story... in bewildernment.

"Do you actually expect us to believe this nonsense?" Raiser asked.

"I know how it sounds Raiser. But think about it like this: If I were a spy or something, why should I tell you a story that I know is completely unbelievable? You know that I am not some kind of impostor, since I completely admitted from the start that I am not your Rias."

"You have to admit she has a point here darling," `Rias´ told him.

Raiser sat down on one of the ORC´s chairs.

"I think I am getting a headache," he said. "I start to think two of your are truly too much my dear," he said in `Rias´ direction.

"You are the one who was pushing for our engagement," `Rias´ reminded him.

"True - but I wanted only one Rias Gremory, not two," he responded with a sly grin.

"As if you had never fantasized about having two of me at once," `Rias´ remarked smugly. "Or do you fear it would be truly too much for you?"

Rias... nearly felt as if the floor was pulled away under her, as she saw this two flirting with each other. She - she actually married him willingly? she realized. Or at least she was happy with him now.

She could barely believe it.

She knew with all these different worlds, there were many things possible. But seeing `herself´ being willingly with the prick and even flirting with him, that was something that she had never really considered.

"Excuse me," Rias said, "I have a question. Have you ever heard of the names Issei Hyoudou or maybe Raynare?"

"Oh yes, I remember that names," `Rias´ replied. "Raynare is a Fallen Angel and was the leader of a group that appeared in Kuoh some time ago. And Hyoudou was one of our kohei at this school for a bit over a year... and a Sacred Gear user," she added. "I had thought about recruiting him for some time."

"Only that this Raynare beat you to it, right?" the native Akeno added. "And later it turned then out that he was the Red Dragon Emperor. She doesn´t like to admitt it, but Buchou is still sour about that she didn´t asked him sooner."

That didn´t sound much different than what had happened in the last world, Rias thought. Only that her counterpart here wasn´t the same murderous bitch. Had this Issei been together with the Raynare of this world as well? Or had she merely been introducing him to the Grigori? Had she pretended to ask him out to get close to him and played the part of his girlfriend, like their own Raynare had done it in the beginning?

It was impossible to tell now... and frankly it made no real difference for her right now.

In this moment they all sensed the group of presences outside.

"It seems we have `guests´," Raiser stated casually. "Well, I don´t think they will cause any trouble. Who in their right mind would dare to challenge three Devil peerages on their own territory? One of them belonging to the Great Raiser Phenex."

"It is nice to see that you are humble as always dear husband," `Rias´ commented sarcasticaly.

"You don´t need to be alarmed," Rias told them. "These are my friends. They are just here to find me and bring me back home."

"Really?" Raiser responded. "Now I am truly curious to see them. Yubelluna, why don´t you lead them in?" He sat down on the couch, visibly stretching out his legs.

"Of course Lord Raiser," his Queen answered loud.

"Xuelan my dear, how about you bring me a coffee?" he asked his Rook, who smiled and followed his order immediately... but roled her eyes at her Master´s antics, as soon as she had turned around.

This was typical Raiser. He acted as if whoever was outside would not even be a threat. Of course she knew that Issei and the others could easily rip him apart if they had wanted. Issei had already easily defeated another version of him months ago... and Rias doubted that this one was that much stronger.

 **xxx**

"By the way my Lady," Yubelluna whispered as she walked across `Rias´, "our threesome for tonight stands, right?"

`Rias´ gave her a meaningful smile in return.

"Of course, I promised after all," she said.

`Far too much information,´ Rias thought silently. `Far too much information.´

"Hmm, excuse me?" she stepped closer to her counterpart and whispered to her. "Can I ask you a question in private?"

"Ah, yes... of course," she answered. "I am sorry, but this is just... unusual." She sounded visibly uneasy for a moment, as she ended her sentence.

"I know," Rias replied. "I felt the same way when I talked to myself the first time. You get used to it after a while."

They had now moved to the other side of the room, away from Raiser and the others, who was currently drinking his coffee, that Xuelan had served him.

"Make no mistake," `Rias´ answered. "I am still not sure if I believe your story. I sounds just too fantastic. But what do you want to ask?"

"Well... you and Raiser, have you - have you married him willingly? I mean - I don´t want to question your choices, but me and the Raiser I know, we... well, never went along." That was putting it lightly, she thought.

"Oh yes, I know what you mean," `Rias´ responded. "I admit in the beginning I hated him as well. I thought of him as nothing but an arrogant jerk who saw me only as a price, as a womanizer and someone who only wanted me for my status."

"What has changed?" Rias asked her.

"A few things. For once, our families arranged for us to actually spend time together," she explained. "At first I still found him insufferable. But over time, I started to see things different.

I also got to talk with Yubelluna and the other girls. From them I found out that, aside from his arrogant behavior, he actually cared deeply about them and treated them with respect... well, outside of his bed. Many of them also served as his mistresses. But the ones who did, are doing it willingly and he never pressured them.

You know, I had always been going on about his womanizing ways. But then I realized... I don´t really care about them actually. To be honest, I think I have only used that as an excuse because I was afraid to be controlled by him. The truth is, I have no problem to share my husband with his other lovers, as long as I know he loves me and am sure about my place as his wife." She shrugged with her shoulders.

`Yes, that made sense,´ Rias thought. In fact, she believed it was actually deeper than that.

She had sometimes asked herself how her older self from the future-timeline had resented Raiser so much for being a `womanizer´... and then fallen completely for Issei, an even more notorious womanizer and self proclaimed pervert. And then joined his harem of currently over a dozen girls and women.

But that was not even the beginning. Future Rias had admitted to her that, from the beginning, she had actually **liked** it... no, that deep down, she was excited about the thought of sharing Issei with her friends and Servants. Why not? After all they were all family to her. And if the other girls loved Issei as well, she would gladly allow them to be with him as well.

`It was a load of bullocks,´ she remembered her older counterpart stating right afterwards.

Not that she didn´t truly love Issei and the other girls - her friends - as well. She did. But that wasn´t the true reason she was sharing him so easily and willingly. The truth was, the entire idea of sharing him with the other girls flattered her self image... and the thought of being the undisputed number 1 of his many lovers, in a perverted way, boosted her ego far more than being his only one. After all, it had been Issei´s dream to have a harem, and she had offered it to him. He could enjoy his harem because she gave it to him... and the other girls could enjoy him because she allowed it.

She had even told her about the fantasies she sometimes had. About herself sitting in a throne-like chair, watching Issei having his way with the other girls - who were nearly always clad in hot underwear, lingeries and stockings - and Akeno, Koneko, Asia, Xenovia or Rossweisse often thanking her for it, while he was fucking them.

Of course after her great breakdown (in every sense of the word), these fantasies had turned into the exact opposite. With herself, instead of being his `Wife and Harem Queen´, being his lowliest mistress, the one who is gladly taking care of his lowest and dirtiest urges.

From what her older counterpart told her and even some of the memories she had shown to her, she know that they quite often had group-sex (mostly because with so many women, it would take a long time to make out individual dates for all of them... and none of the girls wanted to wait so long), with herself often letting the others have their turn first, with herself being the very last... and then having Issei take her in the most degrading ways possible. And she was enjoying every second of it, sometimes even making competitions with Akeno in that regard.

Of course Future Rias was also bat-shit insane in many ways. Her older counterpart´s own words.

`Rias Gremory.´ she thought sarcastically, `Heir of the Gremory Family, sister of the Strongest Maou... and completely perverted Harem Mistress, who was getting off on sharing her man with her friends and Servants.´

But the worst part was that now she was sometimes even catching herself having similar fantasies... about Issei and his harem... and sometimes even about Raiser... and by what it looked like, her counterpart here was actually making such fantasies come true.

Damn, she was a pervert, she admitted to herself. Maybe all Rias Gremories in the multiverse were perverts, she thought.

 **xxx**

"But things really started to change, when Raiser made a decision he regretted deeply later," `Rias´ continued, interrupting her thoughts.

"What decision?" Rias wanted to know.

"He challenged Sairaorg to a duel," `Rias´ told her with an a bit mean grin.

"Let me guess, he got a real reality check then?"

"He did. His behavior however became much more tolerable after that. But it was also the first time I have seen him actually vulnerable and able to talk to like a normal person. Yubelluna had told me later that his Phenex powers had been slowly getting to his head in the past and made him think he was invincible. But after his defeat, this started to change.

But what truly turned me around was what happened a short time later."

Rias was looking at her curiously.

"Members of the Old Satan Faction had started an assault on the Underworld. Being who we are, me, Akeno, Kiba and Koneko had of course been right at the front line. I was careless, like so often. I nearly got myself and them killed." She sighed.

"But then came Raiser. He, Yubelluna and Xuelan fought with everything they had to save us, even when being badly outnumbered and against dangerous opponents who could, in one way or the other, overcome his regeneration.

"So you fell for him because he fought for you, because he risked his life for you?"

"No," `Rias´ answered, surprising Rias. "Yes, he did that. But that wasn´t the main reason. On this day a learned something about myself, a lesson I didn´t like. I am just as arrogant as Raiser. I am just better at hiding it. So I have hardly a right to judge him for it. Actually, I finally realized how similar we are in many ways. From that time on, we were a couple - truly one, instead of just an official one. In some ways you could say, we are keeping each other in check and holding the other on the ground."

 **xxx**

A few moments later, the group of native Devils were getting another shock.

"R-Ravel?" Raiser said completely perplexed as he saw the exact double of his sister, who had just entered the room. But he knew perfectly well that Ravel was in the Underworld, with their family. He had just been talking with her just before he came here to meet with his wife and her Servants.

The others were also starring at the second Kiba and at Issei, who was in front of the group of visitors.

"Ahm - Hi Oni-chan, even if it´s not really you, it is nice to see you," she greeted him a bit uneasily.

"It seems the story is actually true," they heard `Akeno´ stating.

"Kiba, Issei," Rias called out happily as she saw them. They had found her, they had truly found her.

She ran forward and threw her arms around her teammates.

"You have found me," she cried. "You have actually found me. I am so glad to see you again."

"Issei - Issei Hyoudou?" `Rias´ said surprised. "It is you?"

"Yes- does this surprise you... well, Rias?" he asked the native Gremory heiress.

"It is just, you are with the Fallen Angels. And you have not been seen in Kuoh since you and your parents have left the town. But..."

"I am not the Issei Hyoudou you are talking about," he said, with a side-glance at the Rias standing next to him.

"I see," `Rias´ responded.

"This is - this is just crazy," Raiser said quietly. "So you are truly from another universe." His earlier arrogance had no completely fallen of from him.

"You can say that Raiser-san," Issei stated confidently. "It is nice to see you `again´ as well. But I fear we don´t have much time."

"Issei-kun, where are the others?" Rias asked him.

She saw his face falling for a moment.

"Irina, Akeno and Kalawarner have gone missing along with you," he told her. "Irina had been the first we have managed to find. You are the second. Raynare, Gaeriel and the others have gone to a mission to another universe. We have separated from them to get you first and will meet with them now. Koneko had stayed behind in our world to help locate her sister and inform her that the charges against her had been dropped," he continued. "Akeno and Kalawarner are still missing."

"I see," she said. `Akeno,´ she thought.

"We will find them," he promised her.

"You heard it. We have to leave now oni-san," Ravel said to her `brother´ and the others. "Goodbye."

Issei activated his control device and a portal formed right inside the room.

"It was nice to meet you Raiser-san," Issei told them before he walked through it, closely followed by the others.

"Like Issei-kun said, it was nice to talk to you," Rias said, following the others through the portal, right before it disappeared.

The native Devils were just starring at the empty spot where their `visitors´ had been a few seconds before.

"Well, that was something quite unusual," `Rias´ commented.

"Yes darling," `Raiser´ said tonelessly.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Devil Issei´s world - somewhere in Italy  
_

"Now, have you found something?" the leader of the group called the Devil Hunters - nobody else than an alternate version of Vali Lucifer - asked.

"Only that it won´t be easy to come close to our target," Freed responded. "Still, I guess me and my compatriots here have still a far better chance than you." Behind him were the other three Stray Priests who had survived their breakout from the Vatican prison.

"It is unbelievable, nobody is even paying attention to me while I am walking through the town. I guess being dead truly has it´s advantages, right?" He started to laugh manically.

"That is enough Freed," Vali responded. "We are here for a mission after all."

"Oh yes, the mission." He chuckled. "And I have to thank you with my whole heart for this chance. I have never thought I would be part of something like this. Ha ha ha!"

Of the four surviving Stray Priests, only Freed was actually considered an actual `official´ member of their group. The other three were simply cannon fodder, to be used and disgarded if necessary.

The rest of their team had assembled. It was a team put together from different realities, collected from the realities the Erebos had visited. The only thing truly connecting them to each other was their shared hate for the Devil race... and that was exactly what the Erebos had been aiming for as they created this group.

The purpose of the Devil Hunters was twice-fold. The first part was simply to travel from reality to reality and kill as many Devils as possible. The other one however was more complex - to infiltrate and destabilize entire societies with precise strikes, slowly making these worlds ready for the Erebos to invade. Like right now.

Vali was, like in many other universes, the White Dragon Emperor and host of Albion... but also a half-breed child of Devil and human, considered little more than a bastard by both his father and grandfather and treated as a tool his whole childhood.

Despite both his Devil and halfbreed heritage, he was tolerated and even supported as the leader of the team - for exactly two reasons his power and skill and his deep hatred for them.

A short distance from him were sitting two young girls, both of them yokai - Nekomata. They were nobody else than versions of Kuroka and her sister Koneko. The two `sisters´ were sitting more than just closely together, with Kuroka´s arms wrapped around the younger cat-girl, while she was practically sitting on her lap.

On the first look it was a sweet scene, that made the two girls look close, even for sisters... and innocent. But Vali knew perfectly well, that a great part of this scene was actually a **bittersweet** lie.

The truth was Kuroka came from the same world as him and they both went a long way back... to be exact, she was the **only one** in their team who came from the same world as him. Before the Erebos Demons had found and recruited them, they had been part of the same outlaw group.

 **xxx**

Kuroka´s sister Shirone had been killed by the Devils, after Kuroka - who, along with her little sister, had been part of a Devil´s peerage at that time - had killed their former Master as he was performing dangerous life threatening experiments on Shirone.

The Devils however had spread the lie that she had simply gone insane by the use of Senjutsu. And so they had claimed that every use of it and every Nekomata was a possible threat and several Noble Devil Families had demanded Shirone´s execution. Her little sister had been murdered because of a lie.

Later, after they had first formed the Devil Hunters, the first thing Kuroka did after they had removed her Evil Pieces and restored her to her original state, was taking revenge on these nobles. And Vali had gladly assisted her doing it. With the help of their new masters and allies, they had hunted them down and killed them one by one. In a few cases they had wiped out their entire households.

As the Erebos finally decided that they had killed enough Devils in their own universe, they had been send to other worlds... and also started to recruit new members, to replace the ones they had lost in their first campaign. Today only he and Kuroka were left from the beginning.

As they had then recruited a counterpart of her sister - her story nearly mirroring her own, only in that world it had been Kuroka who had been hunted down and killed - they nearly instantly clinged to each other. It was nearly as if they both used the other to fill the emptiness in themselves.

The fact that Kuroka use her pet-name Koneko for her, instead of Shirone, was the only outer sign that she recognized the fact that this was not truly her real sister, but an alternate version of her.

Also, whenever the two `sisters´ were out on missions together against their enemies, they also could together reach a viciousness and bloodthirst that even surpassed his own by far.

Sometimes, as close as he and Kuroka were - in every sense of the word - he admitted he had doubts about both their sanities. Well, no matter if she and Koneko were crazy or not, Vali admitted that he loved Kuroka more than any other person he knew.

The next member of her team was a silent masked figure in black robes, who was only calling himself Nero. He was by far the most mysterious of their group. He was nearly always wearing his mask and the others actually knew very little of him, except that he possessed notable magic powers, used Exorcist weapons and was just as bend on killing Devils as the rest of them.

The last member of the team, admitted that by now she regretted that she had ever joined them - the Fallen Angel named Mittelt. When they had first found her, she had been hiding herself somewhere in an abandoned building, after the battle with Kokabiel´s forces.

She had been terrified to be captured and executed for treason for her allience with the rogue Cadre. Looking back, she had only joined him from the beginning out of fear for her life, but... damn it, she had been even willing to murder Kalawarner, her teammate, to save her own skin.

... And later it was Kalawarner who had let her go. She had felt lower than dirt at that time.

It was then that the Devil Hunters had found her. Their offer sounded actually very good at the beginning. They had offered to bring her away from her own world, where a potential death sentence for treason was hanging over her head. In exchange they only wanted basic information about the Grigori and the other Factions, not even military sectrets, but just basic facts... and her use as a warrior... and her help in killing Devils, who were enemies of her race anyway.

They had even given her the promise not to use whatever information she gave them against the Fallen Angels of her own reality.

She should have known that it sounded too good to be true.

First she had been forced to break fucking Freed Selzen of all people out of a secret (or not so secret, since the Grigori had found out about it´s existence and location a couple of years ago) Vatican prison, together with a bunch of other loony Stray Exorcists - after she was the one who told them about the prison in the first place.

... And now she was here, in a parallel world with them, at the center of the Catholic Faith of all places... and they were about to do something that could throw this world into chaos. They were actually going to assassinate the Pope and make it look as if the Devils were responsible.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Somewhere else_

They arrived...

With the glowing up of a large Transport Circle, the group of Raynare, Gaeriel, Murayama and Xenovia, together with the native version of Issei and a bit surprisingly Kuroka, appeared in Italy, close to Rome.

As it turned out, `Issei´ had come across the Kuroka of this world in the time they hadn´t seen him. Actually it was her who had found him. She had heard about what had happened to her sister and wanted to talk with the only present who had been present as it happened.

So they **had** talked... and `Issei´ had found out about her innocence. And finally he had managed to give proof of it to the Mao and got her pardoned. Afterwards she had decided to move in with the Hyoudou family in a guest room.

Under normal circumstances, she would have most likely already become a member of `Issei´s´ harem. She had in every case made her interest in him very clear. If it were not for the fact that he had, after the death of the others, put a pause on his plans for the time being.

A small group was awaiting them as they arrived, consisting of this world´s version of Irina Shidou, who instantly greeted `Issei´ with a hug, their Xenovia and standing behind them were a man in a white coat and a woman in nun clothes, nobody else than Dulio Gesualdo - the Church´s strongest Exorcist and Griselda Quarta, strongest female Exorcist and Xenovia´s guardian.

"I am so glad that you are here Issei-kun," `Irina´ said to him.

"So the story you have told us is actually true," Dulio stated, looking from one Xenovia to the other.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Akeno´s world_

They just met up with two girls who Akeno easily recognized as Murayama and Katase. But she had nearly instantly the feeling, that these ones would be completely different from the ones she knew.

"Rias," they called out as they saw them, greeting their friend. "How are you? We have barely talked with you in the last days," `Katase´ said to her.

`In the last days´ - yes, since Akeno had arrived. She had been a bit distracted in that time.

"Yes, you didn´t eve come to us to watch the boys as they were changing after sport," `Murayama´ added.

They were truly the equivalent of the Perverted Trio, Akeno thought.

"I was - well, a bit distracted in the last time," Human Rias responded. "But not anymore." She grinned.

"Okay," `Katase´ replied happily. "I am sure you are glad to spend some time away from this stuck-up bitches."

"Who are you calling stuck-up bitches?" Akeno asked them with a glare.

"Oh no - Himejima-sempai is angry at us," `Murayama´ called out mockingly.

"What will she do to us now?" `Katase´ fell in.

"She will probably crush us with these giant boobs she has," `Murayama´ exclaimed. "They are deadly weapons after all."

"Would you shut up, you sluts?" Akeno yelled at them. A grin formed on her face then. "Even if you are right, this things are leathel," she said, while pushing her hands under her own chest."

This caused the three perverted girls to smile laszively.

"That is the right mindset Akeno-sempai," `Katase´ said loudly. "Maybe you are not so stuck-up as we thought after all."

`Oh please,´ Akeno thought. She clearly prevered the version of these girls she knew, she decided.

But she also knew they had completely other worries. She had exchanged a few looks with `Issei´, as she recognized him turning his eyes away from their group a few times.

"You have noticed it as well, right?" she whispered to him.

"That someone is following us? Yes I did," he responded. "Rias had noticed it as well."

"`Rias´?"

"Don´t let the way she acts deceive you," he said. "She is quite powerful. The question is who are they and why are they interested in us."

"Well, maybe we should go and ask them. What do ya think?" the human version of Rias asked them.

 **xxx**

In some distance, the two figures did not realize that they had been detected.

"This is the interlopper," one of them, a women looking in her mid-twenties, said. "Akeno Himejima. But she is not the same one we have observed earlier."

"Clearly not," her partner, a young man, said. Both of them were Erebos Demons, who were currently in human form. "This one has been turned into one of the half-breed Devils. Not only is an intruder from another dimension here, it is also one of them. We will report Lord Pazuzu about this."

"He will most likely only order us to capture her, to find out why she is here and if she knows something." The woman shrugged. "But protocols are protocols, right?"

* * *

 **This was now the reality where Rias and Raiser are willingly married. And also the full introduction of the members of the Devil Hunters.**

 **Future/G.o.D Rias fantasies here are of course a twisted version of Issei´s own from the Anime.**


	31. Chapter 31: Devil Hunters

**Chapter 31  
**

 _Devil Issei´s world_

Their group, together with their new allies from this world´s Church, were now on their way to the first place they intended to see.

The secret prison, as both Dulio and Griselda had confirmed, didn´t existed in this reality... Or at least not at the same place.

But since it was there where the mysterious unknowns had obviously left their world, it was also the most likely spot where they would have arrived in this one. So they would start their search there.

As they were on their way, they finally saw something else they had been waiting for. A portal was opening very close to them.

And Issei and the other stepped out to rejoin them. They saw to their relief that they had indeed found Rias. She was with the others and like them, visibly happy to see them again.

"Rias," Gaeriel greeted her, "I see they have found you. At least **some** good news."

"Yes, they have. But..." For a moment all the things that had happened were going through her mind. She should have been dead many times over. "... I have been lucky."

"She is right," Irina stated. "We had nearly not been able to get her. If Issei had not been able to, well... do it somehow... then we would probably not even have found the last world she had landed in," she admitted. "And then..." She didn´t need to end the sentence.

Rias gulped at her words. She was right, she realized. It had been an incredible luck that they had been able to find her. She had lost her transfer-device and would have been lost in that world. They would have continued to search for her, yes. But there would be no telling how long it would have taken them to find her - if at all.

Just like with Akeno and Kalawarner still were. Akeno - her best friend and Queen was still out there somewhere, in the same situation like she had been. She could only hope that she and Kalawarner had landed in more or less safe worlds. And that they would be able to find them before something happened. She could only hope that they would be **able** to find them.

The terrible memories of Issei´s and her own other selves shot through her mind and she felt her hands shaking. She reminded herself that this hadn´t been **this** Issei. She was completely save with him. They were friends, even if they had their disagreements in the past.

But... she remembered how she had been at the mercy of this psychopath. How he had hunted her down like an animal. She remembered how he had tortured her counterpart, how she heard the bones of her fingers cracking.

For a moment she feared how it could have been, if things were different... if **they** were different.

 **xxxxxxx**

Meanwhile several miles away, inside the city... and very close to the Vatican... other things were happening.

After having Freed and two other Stray Priests scouting out the environment for a few days, the Devil Hunters were now ready.

Their target was moving in this moment.

The Pope of this world was right now returning from a meeting to his residence. Of course - being who he was - he was under guard - visibly and invisibly ones.

Beside some **clearly** visible members of the Papal Guard, who were flanking his heavily armored car... there were also, unknown for normal spectators, disguised Exorcists close by. And also several magic spells in the working as protection from potential supernatural attackers.

Being the Head of the Catholic Church was a job that, at least in this world, required far more protection than regular humans mostly realized. Exactly because of the existence of the other Factions and various splinter groups from the Supernatural World, that were the Church´s enemies.

Still, many Devils and Fallen Angels considered the Pope not much more than a puppet of Heaven, one that was easily replaced when it came down to. So he was not **that** much of a major target.

But the ultimate goal of the Devil Hunters was not to actually weaken the Church and Heaven. Not, it was to saw chaos and use it against the Devils, to weaken **them**.

... And the Devil Hunters were not **any** splinter group. They were the most dangerous special unit from another reality.

Freed and the other Stray Exorcists went into position. But it were not them who were really important.

It were the others, in first line Vali and Kuroka, who were going to make the real move.

The Pope´s transport was just crossing a plaza, filled with people.

 **xxx**

Murayama was in this moment walking through the streets of an alternate Rome, along with Xenovia, Asia... and the native Irina, who acted as something like their guide. They had decided to split into smaller groups.

Raynare, Irina and Gaeriel were taking another route through the city, together with this world´s Xenovia and Griselda.

While Issei and the others, together with Dulio, would visit the spot where the secret prison had been located in their own world, the rest of them would take a look over the town itself, to look for any signs of these mysterious other group of dimension travellers.

Another reason for the split-up was that it was unwise for the Devils to walk around in the city, right in the center of Church territory.

Of course the same could be said for the Fallen Angels, but they were by far not so obvious as the Devils and, since they were still basically Angels and using light-powers, easier to disguise. To that came that they both had Exorcists with them who could step in and clear the situation if someone recognized what they were.

Devils however, thanks to their demonic powers, were far easier to recognize. So Rias, Kiba, Ravel and `Kuroka´, were accompanying the Isseis and Dulio, instead of visiting the town itself.

Just a few months back, Murayama would have doubted that she would ever even see the Rome of her own world. She had been nothing but a normal girl from a small town in Japan... and now here she was, in another universe. And that with Issei Hyoudou of all people... and his girlfriends - or rather his harem.

As far as she could remember, the pervert had always been bragging about how he would have one some day. A few months ago, when they had both still been normal highschool students (or more or less normal in Issei´s case), , she would have never in a hundred years believed that he would actually get one. And now that he had actually found girls who were willing to go along with it, they were Fallen Angels, Supernatural gifted Exorcists and former Nuns and Devils.

Okay, she admitted that Issei was, when you really got to knew him, far more tolerable than she had originally thought of him. Actually he was a great guy - well, for the most part. At least as long as he had a hold on himself and did not act like a complete pervert.

And she considered him a close friend by now. He had saved her life after all, after she nearly got herself killed. He had been there for her, along with the others, when she got used to her new state.

Raynare´s and to some lesser extend Irina´s constant teasing that she would join their harem sooner or later didn´t make things much better. To that came that (she had started to admit it to herself), she actually begann to be somewhat attracted to him - somewhat at least.

She, attracted to Hyoudou-kun of all people. Damnit, she could imagine what Katase would say about this - or even worse, Kiryuu.

While she was walking through the town, she couldn´t help herself to let her eyes wander around and take her surroundings. She was in one of the most famous cities in the world after all.

But she was for sure not here for sightseeing, she reminded herself. They were here on a mission. She - the interdimensional warrior - who would have thought?

But it was not as if their was much actual choice left to her. As her normalcy and her mortality had been lost with her resurrection by Issei. But she could hardly blame him for this. Issei had tried to save her, from her own carelessness, and what had happened to her was out of his control.

"Have you ever been in Italy before Murayama-chan - well, our Italy I mean?" Asia asked her friendly.

She smiled back.

"Are you serious? Aside from the time we have spend in the Guardian´s world, I have never even been out of Japan," she answered. "But I guess that has changed with what we are doing now."

"I guess," Asia replied.

"Do you regret it?" Murayama asked her, "that you have joined this team? I mean you could have lived a peaceful life somewhere if you wanted after Gaeriel and Raynare had faked your death."

"No - I don´t," Asia stated. "It is, I believe I can help so many people here... and I can be with Issei-kun and the others."

In this moment they all sensed it. A line of powers rised up right in the middle of the town. It was an attack.

"Murayama," Irina addressed her.

"I sense it too," she replied. This was also one of the abilities she had gained. She could now sense energy... and, to some limit, read minds.

They all only needed a moment to decide... and they rushed forward in the direction where they sensed the energies.

 **xxx**

Meanwhile the four Stray Exorcist had already shown themselves and moved to attack. While the rest of the Devil Hunters still stayed hidden in a greater distance, suppressing their powers and their presence.

The Pope´s guard reacted instantly to the unknown assailants and moved forward to intercept them... just like it was planned.

Because with this they were forced to leave a greater distance between themselves and the man they were supposed to protect.

And that gave the rest of their team their opening. While the Pope was still sheltered behind strong wards and barriers, but what the Church had not really counted on was possible attackers being Ultimate Class opponents.

Vali - who was standing on a roof a few miles away, with Kuroka next to him - threw the cleak he had been disguising himself with away and then activated his Sacred Gear and Balance Breaker... and unleashed a powerful spell that shattered all supernatural defenses around their target.

"It is your turn my love," he said to Kuroka, who smiled at him, formed a magic-circle beneath her and teleported away.

One moment later she reappeared on the street, only a few hundred meters away from the Pope´s car... for all to see.

"We have been tricked," one of the guards engaging the Stray Priests shouted, realizing what was going on.

Another group of Church Exorcists just arrived and joined the fighting. Joining their comrades, they now struck down two of the Stray Priests allied with the Devil Hunters. Which however only caused Freed to laugh out and cut down one of them as well in return. It was truly good to be back, he thought.

"It is a Devil," one of the Exorcists loyal to the Church called out. "I recognize her. That is Kuroka, the former Stray-Devil."

Kuroka smiled. Yes, it was all going exactly as planned. She activated her powers fully and used them to form a blast, which she unleashed in the direction of the shocked looking Head of the Catholic Church, an elderly human in plain white robes. It was a blast that obliterated everything in it´s direction, including the Pope.

"No!" a female Church fighter shouted as she saw what had happened. But it was already too late.

Kuroka´s blast had not only killed the Pope, but already completely destroyed his car, the driver and everything around it... and them hit and crumbled a line of building behind them.

She wasn´t even sure how many bystanders had been killed by her attack. It didn´t really matter either. There would be only even more to blame on the Devils.

Whatever - they had already succeeded here and there was no real reason to stay any longer.

 **xxx**

At the same time, the group including Murayama, Xenovia, Asia and their `native´ guide, this world´s Irina, had reached the plaza, where they were greeted by a large crowd of people who had just been watching the events and were staring to get into a panic.

What they were also greeted with, was the sight of Freed and the other remaining Stray Priest, who were running into their direction.

As Kuroka had revealed herself and assassinated their target, they had drawn back from their opponents and were retreating now. It was part of the plan, even if Freed had preferred to stay and kill a few more people. Still both Vali and the guy who was pulling the real strings behind this little group had made it pretty clear that they only wanted to stay here as short as possible.

But now Freed saw something that put a smile on his face. There was a group of four girls before them. One of them he would recognize everywhere - it was nobody else than this little bitch Asia Argento. And there were this two Exorcist bitches who had beought him back to the Vatican. He didn´t recognize the last girl. But he was sure that she possessed some kind of strange power as well.

No matter - this would be fun. He raised his weapons and attacked them without warning. The other Stray Priest followed his example.

Murayama, Xenovia, Asia and `Irina´ saw them coming and reacted instantly.

Freed´s blade was met by `Irina´s´ and his partner´s by Murayama. The girl in question was matching a few strikes with the Stray Priest. This wasn´t a kendo-match, she reminded herself. This was a life and death fight.

So she started to use the powers she had inherited from Issei. She was now stronger than a regular girl - at least somewhat. And if she concentrated, she could raise her strength even more... and could move faster than a normal human. She could also read the mind of her enemy - see his thoughts. She knew his movements before he even actually made them.

Was she still human? A small doubt came up in her. Both Darien and Issei had told her that she was. Changed somewhat, different - evolved - but still human. But she couldn´t help herself to be unsure.

She parried another one of his strikes and then landed a blow at his arm.

Meanwhile, Xenovia and `Irina´ were facing Freed and Asia had drawn a weapon - a short blade - as well.

"Now Asia my dear," Freed said with a deep grin, "I have never taken you for the type to fight."

"I have learned it," she replied grimly.

"How nice. I guess I will leave you alive, so that we can spend some `quality time´ together later. I am curious how your body feels like, now that you have trained it a bit. I already had a small taste after all, if this shitty Devils had not interrupted me."

"Go to hell," Asia hissed at him.

 **xxx**

Meanwhile the Church fighters who had been fighting the Stray Priests a few moments earlier had now surrounded Kuroka, who was a far greater threat.

"I am sorry, but I have no time to play with you," She said casually to the Exorcists.

But in this moment Vali, their version of Koneko and Nero materialized next to her. A second later aldo joined by a very reluctant Mittelt, who were if she was honest, rather anywhere else. The small Fallen Angel was also still wearing her cloak and suppressed her energy to hide the fact that she was a Fallen. All this was after all a set-up for the Devils and the presence of a member of the Grigori would only put doubt on it.

And outbreak of sheer power from Vali alone was forcing the Exorcists backwards. His presence was not a problem though. Despite that the Vali Lucifer of this world had been a member of the Grigori, it was known that he had left the organization a short time ago for unknown reasons. And like many of his counterparts, this Vali was as well a known battle fanatic. So the idea that he would join the Devils for an attack on the Church was not really farstretched.

 **xxx**

At the same time Issei, his counterpart and the others, who had sensed what was happening even from the distance, had transported themselves to Rome as well. They had appeared close by and were moving now in the direction they were sensing the energies.

Raynare, Gaeriel and Irina had noticed it was well and were just arriving from a different direction, together with `Xenovia´ and `Griselda´.

After they had run a short distance, they noticed their friends fighting with Freed and his partner.

`Irina´ and Xenovia were now fighting Freed and Murayama and Asia the other Stray Priest. Murayama parried another few moves from their opponent, until she finally got completely behind his defense and landed a deep cut across his chest. The man sank down with widened eyes. Murayama could literally feel the life leaving him.

She was starring at the ground before her for a few moments.

The others just noticed that Issei and the rest had arrived.

"Hyoudou... and two of you on top of that," Freed commented. "No - this day is truly getting bad. I guess I will take my leave now."

"You will go nowhere you bastard," `Issei´ growled. He had his Boosted Gear already actived.

 **[Boost]** Another boost of power went through his body... as he moved forward, faster as the insane Stray Priest could follow and punched him in the gut with enough power to send him several meters backwards and crashing into a wall.

"I have killed you before, I have no problem to do it again," `Issei´ announced.

Then Issei´s counterpart materialized his own blade and stepped the surprised Freed into he heart. They all watched as the body of their enemy sank to the pavement.

`Freed Selzen was dead -once again,´ he thought. `Good´ He only hoped he would not run into yet another version of this bastard. Killing him twice was truly enough.

All except Murayama, who was still standing motionless. She fully realized that she had just killed someone. She had known that it would happen sooner or later, when she wanted to be part of this team. But she had so far convinced herself that it wouldn´t happen so soon.

They turned around to the group at the other side of the plaza.

"Vali, Kuroka," Issei said as his fell on them. But `Kuroka´, at least the one of this world, was standing right next to him. That are **them** ," he said.

"Mittelt?" Raynare whispered in surprise, as she looked at one of the figures, who was wearing a cloak. "And Koneko," she stated, looking at another small figure, similar disguised. She was sure that the others had noticed it as well.

`Kuroka´ certainly did. She noticed her starring at the small figure wordlessly.

 **xxx**

"We have lost Freed Selzen and the other Stray Priests," Nero stated.

"It doesn´t matter. They had been not much more than a distruction anyway," Vali said. "Let us get out of here."

Issei and the others watched as he lifted his left arm and materialized an unknown device on it, that however looked a bit similar to their own controllers, and use it to form another dimension portal.

But of course nobody beside them actually knew what it was and thought it was just some bizarre kind of normal transport spell. A second later they were gone.

"You have seen that?" Issei said. "Gaeriel, please tell me you have the data for the universe they had gone to."

"Of course I have." She smiled at him.

It was then, when the crowd - including the guards and Exorcists - noticed them. Or more precisely they noticed their world´s version of Kuroka standing under them.

"Hey, there she is," one of them called out.

"Devils!" someone shouted.

"Murderer."

"Damn it," Raynare hissed, realizing what was going on. They obviously thought that the attackers had only moved a short distance... and they couldn´t tell the difference between this Kuroka and the other one.

"I think I should have stayed at home," the Nekomata lamented.

"I think you better should get out of here," `Irina´ said to them.

"We meet you outside the town," the native Dulio added, "after we have cleared this up."

 **xxxxxxx**

They had assembled once again, a few miles outside of the town, a few hours later.

"So that is the situation," Dulio explained. "And since Kuroka had been seen by hundreds of people - dozens of them fighters for the Church - everyone is believing the Devils are responsible for the Pope´s death. Some might even think that the Devils had only accepted Kuroka back for the purpose of her doing this."

"But we know that is not the case," `Issei´ stated.

"We - Yes," Griselda responded. "But the general public? I myself are only believing your story since we have two of each of you right before us," she stated with looks at the two Isseis, Xenovias and Irinas. "And even I find it crazy. Still, a known member of the Devil Faction had been seen by many witnesses murdering the Pope. That is not something that will simply disappear."

"Great," Kuroka commented, "just cleared from the one crime and already framed for another."

"Have you not told them the truth?" Kiba asked perplexed.

"Do you really think we have not tried?" Dulio replied. "We told them that this had been an impostor. But a few simply don´t believe us and think we are only telling this crazy story to avoid a new war. Others believe we are the one who had been deceived by a double and that it had been the real Kuroka who murdered the Pope. It is only because of mine and Griselda´s reputation that the Angels and the Heads of the Church take our words into consideration."

"Maybe we should see them," Issei pointed out. "If they see us and our doubles together, if we show them the two Boosted Gears..."

"That is already arranged," Dulio said. Lord Michael and Lady Gabriel want to talk to you. But the rest of the Church? I will tell it to you like that - I don´t know how it is with your world, but ours is simply not ready to know about parallel universes... and especially invaders from there - copies of people running around. THis would cause mass panic and paranoia, even under the Supernatural."

"I... understand," Issei replied.

"Mittelt was with them," Raynare brought up.

"You mean your former teammate?" Irina asked.

"Yes - of course I could not tell if it was the same Mittelt I know or another one... and also Koneko," she said, looking at `Kuroka´.

"I know," the nekomata responded. "But that there wasn´t my sister. Shirone died months ago. And her death was then avenged by Issei-kun and Irina. This was just another double."

"This will make the situation between Heaven and the Devils even worse as it is - far worse," Griselda stated. "A new war could break out. Even if the leaders of Heaven and the Devils knew the truth, the ranks below that would never accept it. Not with the situation being like it is."

"But if we take out there attackers and bring them proof?" Issei´s counterpart asked.

"Then... maybe," Dulio answered.

"Are you okay Murayama?" Issei asked her. She had stayed silent during the entire conversation and was now once again looking wordlessly at the ground.

"I have just killed someone Issei-kun," she replied. "People like you and the others here can maybe deal with something like this easily, but I am different. I had never thought I would ever do something like that."

"If you want to talk about it..." Irina offered.

"I knew that this would happen sooner or later when I decided to join this group," she replied.

"Still, if you want to talk, we are here," Raynare told her.`I had never thought that I would once say this to a human,´ she thought by herself. But the last months had changed a lot.

Issei turned back around to Dulio, Griselda.

"Okay, we are ready now, if they are," he said.

Dulio nodded and send out a magical signal. A magic circle appeared before them with Michael and Gabriel in it´s center. They were looking nearly exactly like they did in their own world as they met them.

They both were looking at Issei, Irina and Xenovia... and at their doubles. Then at Kuroka.

"It seems we have to talk," Michael said to them.

 **xxxxxxx**

A short time later their team was ready for their next transfer. The mysterious attackers might have disappeared into another reality... but they had been able to read the data which one it had been.

Gaeriel had just contacted the home universe of the Guardians and send a report. They had informed them for once that Freed Selzen and the most likely other escapees from the Vatican Prison were dead. But also that the group who was responsible for freeing them had escaped to yet another reality.

"Do you think they are members of the Dark Order?" Irina asked.

"You mean the same group this Crocel had been part of?" `Issei´ asked.

Gaeriel shook her head.

"The transport device they had looked completely different from the technologies that any of the Factions of the Dark Order are using," she stated.

A short time later they got the permission to follow them and investigate, to find out this enemy´s identities. An open fight however should, if possible, be avoided for now. At least if they could.

But they all had doubts if it **would** be possible, given how agressive and dangerous this group had shown themselves to be.

 **xxx**

But not all of their current team would come with them. For once Ravel,who was not really member of the official team, would return home. Her family and the Mao had agreed to let her come with them on regular explorations and to help retrieving Rias and Irina, but not against a group of dangerous maniacs.

Beside that, they wanted someone to inform the Mao about the fact that Rias had been found. So Ravel would return to their world. A minute later Gaeriel activated the portalthat led back home and Ravel stepped through.

Xenovia had also agreed to go back and reported the latest events to the Church in person, reluctantly.

They had thought about sending Rias home as well. But she insisted to come with them. Typical of her, some of them thought.

 **xxx**

And not all who would come with them were part of their current team.

"Are you sure about this?" Issei asked his double.

"Of course I am," he replied, "these bastards are on the best way to cause a war. And on top of that they have framed Kuroka for murder. I want to get them as much as you. I come with you."

"Okay... and you." Issei turned to Kuroka.

"Iseei - Hyoudou - or whatever I should call you, I have just been framed for assassinating the Pope. That means not only the Church and Heaven will be after me, but probably many Devils will blame me for the trouble and want my head as well. Hell, they wanted me dead before and only Issei revealing the truth had stopped them. Now they have a new excuse. Whatever you will get into, I doubt it can be much more dangerous for me than staying here."

Issei nodded.

"We would like to come with you as well Issei-kun," this world´s `Irina´ said to them, "but all Exorcists had been ordered to return and keep themselves ready after what had happened."

"So it is us then." Issei looked to his counterpart, Raynare, Asia, Irina, Gaeriel, Rias, Kiba, Murayama and `Kuroka´.

He opened the new portal. Whatever would be happening, they were leaving now.

They gave each other a short look and stepped through the opened gateway.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Akeno´s World_

They had arrived... A second later they were once again standing just outside of Kuoh - yet another Kuoh that they had never seen before. But they knew that the strangers were somewhere in this world.

Like in most versions of Kuoh, they could also sense multiple sources of Magic power and Supernatural energy. They realized however very quickly that the number of Devils seemed to be much lower than in their own hometown.

"Well, we are here," Issei said. "There is something different here, as in our Kuoh. I sense far less of the presence of Devils. A fe are still here, but not nearly as many. But there are some other beings, somehow similar but different."

 **[You are right Partner,]** Ddraig spoke up. **[They are not Devils but somehow different. But still they seem somehow related. Likely another demonic race. Still, these presences... somehow they remind me of something... from a long time ago. And there are also some other powers.]**

"I sense it as well," Raynare said. "It feels like very powerful humans."

"I guess that means this Kuoh is possible no under the control of the Devil Faction," the other Issei pointed out. "Maybe it is under the one of these other beings. Or maybe the humans."

"That is good possible with so much fewer of them here," Irina stated.

"We will see about it. Let us take a look at the town," Issei said. "I guess we will found out more soon, one way or another."

"And be careful," Gaeriel added. "These guys are somewhere in this world. That means they could be on another continent, but also right in this town."

"Of course. We are already doing this job for a few months as you remember," Raynare commented a bit irritated.

"And I for over a century," Gaeriel responded.

"And look how that turned out. First your ex-boyfriend screwed you over and used you to get people killed, then you secretly run off to take him out on your own, fail and nearly got yourself killed in the process."

Gaeriel´s face turned sour as she was reminded of this.

"Raynare-chan," Asia adressed her.

"What?"

"You are acting like a bitch again."

Raynare noticed now how the other Fallen Angel had taken her words.

"Ohh, I am sorry Gaeriel. I shouldn´t have brought this up," she said. "Sometimes I just can´t help myself about what I say."

"It is okay," Gaeriel answered. "I know I have messed up big time in the past."

Suddenly they sensed some of the energies inside the town rising up drastically. A fight seemed to have broken out.

They all were looking at each other.

Was the **them**? they all thought. No - that was unlikely. The energies weren´t exactly weak, but still too low to come from someone like Vali or Kuroka´s counterpart.

Still, it might be connected to them. And if not it was at least a chance to find out more about the inhabitants of this reality.

"Let us go," Gaeriel said to them.

 **xxxxxxx**

In another part of the town, a group consisting of three Erebos Demons, two man and one woman - all of them were currently in their human shape and wearing usual street clothes, to avoid detection - were standing together inside their current hideout, an small building that they had rented under the false name of an invented company.

They were discussing the latest state of their targets.

"How do you think they will react?" one of the men asked. They had just send an report about the double of Akeno Himejima they had located.

"Well, I guess they will send us to capture her," the woman said. "Maybe they will send us some help to to it and then..."

But then she was suddenly interrupted as they sensed a large energy rising up at the other side of the wall behind them. And then, one moment later, they heard a loud band and saw the same wall cracking and breaking down.

A second later, as the dust had set, they saw a figure standing at the other side of the resulting hole and stepping inside.

The figure was a slim teenage girl, with brown hair and remarkable small breasts.. and with an activated Boosted Gear on her right arm. They recognized her instantly. It was nobody else than their current target - Rias MacGreymore.

"Hey. Top of the mornin´ to you guys. How are ya?" she greeted them with an Irish term and a slightly mocking voice.

"You!" one of the Erebos called out.

"Now, have you really thought we wouldn´t notice you spying on us? Issei-san had noticed you right away," she declared.

"Kill her," one of the male Demons called out.

"No, we still need her alive," the other responded.

"Killing me?" `Rias´ asked. "Don´t you think a bit high of yourself here."

The three Demons materialized her wings and their small horns appeared on their foreheads.

"We will see about that," the first male said. "We will just take you with us and our superiors can take you apart to see what is wrong with you."

"There is nothing wrong with me," `Rias´ called out. "Only my boobs could be bigger," she said wit a short look down to her chest.

"Get her," the female Demon yelled.

She rushed forward using her wings, but a backhand from `Rias´, after a boost, send her flying against the walls.

Her two comrades joined the attack, but `Rias´ was fending off them as well, mostly using simply kicks and punches.

 **xxx**

In some distance, the Issei of this world was standing, together with Shirone, `Raynare´ and Akeno. They had just separated from `Murayama´ and `Katase´, after giving some excuse and `Rias´ promising to join them later to spend some time together (and harassing some of the boys in their class).

"Should we help her?" Shirone asked.

"She seems to be taking care of them quite well on her own," `Issei´ pointed out. "But there is something else," he said with a glace to the town´s border. A number of powers had just appeared at the edge of the town - out of nowhere as it seems. To be honest, I am much more concerned about this new presences than about this three creatures here - whatever they are."

"Maybe in this case you should unbind my powers," `Raynare´ said to him.

He gave her a short look. It was now a few months ago that he had bound the Fallen Angel´s power, after she had lured `Rias´ into a trap and tried to kill her... or technically **did** kill her, if it had not been for Issei interfering in the last second to heal her and save her life. Like it had later turned out, she had been set up by some corrupt members of the Fallen Angel Faction to do this.

After the incident, `Rias´ had agreed to become his apprentice - all too willingly, since the eccentric and perverted girl was one of the many female students at their school who had a major crush on him, as he knew. Her behavior was all too often more than a headache, but somehow they had still grown close to each other. Not as close as she wanted, but they were at least friends.

"Come on, I have earned your trust by now, haven´t I?" she asked him. "I have done everything I could for you and that human girl to make up for my mistakes. And in that way I could at least be a help instead of standing in the way, if that powers are truly dangerous."

`Issei´ gave it a short thought. After he and `Rias´ had defeated Raynare a short time later, he had bound her powers and made an agreement with Azazel to keep her here until he would decide that she had earned his trust and made up for her actions.

He agreed that so far she actually seemed sincere in her effords and that it would really be foolish to leave her powerless and in need of protection in face of a possible threat to the town, when she could also be a help.

"Okay," he said. He lifted his hands, murmured a few words and began a magic spell. A few moments later Raynare felt new - or rather old - power flowing through her.

"Thank you," she said.

Akeno sensed the energies at the edge of the town as well. At first she wasn´t quite sure, not completely - but then... It was them. They had found her.

At least they were one of the **two** groups who had appeared.

"Wait," she said to `Issei´. "The ones who had just appeared, they aren´t enemies. This are my friends. They have found me."

"Are you sure?" he asked her.

She hesitated for a moment. What if this weren´t them, but counterparts from another world. How could she be sure?

"I - I sense Rias power, I mean the ones of her as a Devil. I have known her for years. And there is also one that seems very similar to your own. The others are too suppressed right now, but a few of them seemed to be Fallen Angels."

"That is still not a hundred percent guaranty," he replied.

"No, but the chance is very high, right?"

"Okay," `Issei´said. "And the other group," he asked her, "the one who had arrived a few hours before?"

"I don´t know," she answered.

 **xxx**

`Rias´ meanwhile used her powers to form two shields to protect herself from blasts coming from two directions from two of her opponents. The third one was currently down and as it looked he would not be able to fight again for a entire while after she had managed to knock him out.

In response she fired back two blasts of her own. The two Demons were pushed back, but otherwise not really damaged.

Suddenly something happened that surprised all of them.

Before them, something was beginning to shape itself out of thin air and one second later, a figure was standing before them, and it looked exactly like...

"Issei!" `Rias´ called out.

"Yes and no," the figure replied. One moment later he was taking a closer look at her. "R-Rias!" he called out as he recognized the `unremarkable´ looking girl before him. And he realized that this girl was human... and possessed the Boosted Gear on top of that.

He sensed that Ddraig could not believe it as well. Had the Dragon been physically here, he would probably be starring with an open mouth.

"W-what happened to you?" Issei stammered.

"Issei?" `Rias´ asked confused.

"Take him out," the male Erebos Demons shouted. Both of them generated magic-circes, that charged energy-blasts, they fired at him.

But the blasts passed right through him, doing nothing.

"It is just a projection," the female called out.

"Right," the figure said, "but a projection that can fight." He leaped forward and punched the female Demon right in the Face, sending her to the ground.

Issei had learned a log time ago to give his mental projections actual physical form and the ability to act.

"I should thank you actually. I have never seen beings like you before. Until a moment ago, I was not sure if you were hostile or not. But you have made it clear now."

 **xxx**

In some distance, the `real´ Issei and his team were moving quickly to their position.

They had flown into the town with suppressed energies and landed two streets away. Teleportation was something they didn´t want to risk at this unknown territory... and not knowing exactly what kind of abilities these beings here possessed.

"Okay, my thought-projection had engaged them," he said.

"And? Something interesting?" Rias asked him.

"Ahh, you will see it yourself in a minute," he answered. `If you believe it,´ he thought.

Less than a minute later they reached the place. Issei´s projection disappreared in the moment they arrived.

Everyone´s reaction was more or less exactly like he had expected it.

They saw the three winged beings, two of them awake, another one unconscious... and the human girl in opposite to them. They all took in the familiar features, even if their brains at first refused to make the connection.

She however was also starring at them wordlessly for a few seconds.

"I-Issei-san," she stammered. "Two of you!?" she asked bewildered.

Then the native Issei and his compatriots showed themselves and apeared at the other side of the street.

"T-three of you," `Rias´ now exclaimed. Her face showed an somewhat unsettling mixture of shock and excitement.

Then her eyes drifted to the other newcomers, a second Raynare, a girl with chestnut hair and twin-ponytails, she felt as if she had seen her before somewhere, Kuroka?, Asia? a blonde guy, very good looking... and... she felt how her jaw dropped.

Her eyes felt on a red haired, **extremely** well `equipped´ girl with long red hair. She sensed that she was a Devil `Rias´realized instantly who it had to be. Before her stood a Devil version of herself, just like Akeno had said - one with incredible large boobs.

"What the fuck," she called out.

* * *

 **Okay. This is the next chapter.**

 **For reminders, the differences between Devil Issei´s world and the Guardian or canon one are these:**

 **1) There had been no peace conference. The assassination of Rias and her peerage had kept that from happening. The situation between the Three Faction is actuall quite bad currently.**

 **It had calmed down somewhat after Issei and Irina had brought Sirzechs Alyk Crocel´s head and identified him as Rias murdered. But a large art of damage had already been done at that point and was not easy to take back.**

 **2) Kokabiel had been stopped early. So he had never attacked Kuoh. But the Factions had also never cooperated to fight him.**

 **3) Khaos Brigade exists, but had not publicy revealed itself so far. They prefer to wait and have the Factions weaken each other.**

 **4) Vali had left the Grigori for unknown reasons (in truth Azazel has send him to make contact with and infiltrade Khaos Brigade. But that is known to no-one except himself, Azazel, Shemhazai and Baraquiel)**

 **5) Issei had still managed to proof Kuroka´s innocence and have her status as a Stray removed. For this and avenging the death of her sister, she had pledged herself to him.**

 **And now the Devil Hunters had assassinated the Pope and made it look as if the Devils, especially Kuroka, are responsible.**

 **xxx**

 **The concept for the universe of the human (and quite perverted) Rias comes, as I had mentioned before, from Hellsender and this world is based mostly on his ideas.**


	32. Chapter 32: Demons you don t know

**Chapter 32  
**

 _Akeno´s World_

The Magician named Issei Hyoudou (Issei´s counterpart from this world) looked from one member of the group who had just arrived to the other - especially not only one, but two doubles of himself.

"So it seems Akeno´s story is actually true," he said quietly... but loud enough for the newcomers to hear.

"Akeno?" Issei asked. His eyes went to the dark haired girl standing next to his native counterpart.

In this moment, as he concentrated his telepathic powers on her, he noticed it. This wasn´t this world´s Akeno... It was their´s.

Of all the dumb luck in the universe they could have.

They had found her... they actually had... right here in the next world they were visiting.

The others now noticed as well. They could not believe it... that they had found her this quickly.

"It is really you?" Irina asked, "I mean... well, the **you** we know. You remember our battle against these beings called the SHA, right?"

"I certainly **do** remember Irina," Akeno answered with a wide smile. "I also remember how it had ended. And I have to say I am more than glad to see you all."

Hundreds of realities out there and here she was; This had to be the greatest case of luck in... well, in this case you could say in the entire Multiverse.

Now all what was left was Kalawarner. But they had a feeling that with their last missing teammate, they might **not** get that lucky.

 **xxx**

The two remaining defeated Erebos Demons on their part exchanged a short look on their own.

They turned to their unconscious comrade. But they saw that this world´s Issei Hyoudou, Rias MacGreymore and Shirone were now standing between them and the other Demon and didn´t let them come close to him.

They knew they had no chance. They were outmatched and knew staying would mean either be killed or captured as well... and decided to flee. So they teleport away and let their comrade behind... for the moment.

"And what now?" the female Demon asked.

They both knew they were not save. They might have escaped the enemy, but their failure might very likely mean their death as well.

"We have to meet up with the Special-Force group like it was planned," the male one said. "According to Lord Pazuzu, they should have arrived in this reality by now."

"I know," she replied. "We can only hope that Lord Pazuzu will be understanding about this failure here. Or we might loose our heads."

"I wouldn´t count on that," the man said grimly.

They were both aware how slim this chance was. Not only had they failed so far to bring in any more information about this `Rias MacGreymore´ - or about the mysterious double of Akeno Himejima that had recently arroved...

... worse, they got themselves discovered and one of their team was captured. That meant their entire infiltration of this world could be in jeopardy.

And they knew what the punishment for such a failure was.

If they were honest, their survival might actualy be more likely if they had surrendered to the natives and the newcomers. At least there was a chance that they would show mercy.

But that would mean throwing both their own pride and their loyalty to their race away. And that was simply not acceptable. Instead they would explain the situation - that they had been outmatched and taken by surprise by the newcomers - and ask for leniency.

They knew Lord Pazuzu was said to be the most reasonable and levelheaded of the Four High Lords of the Empire. Maybe they had a chance.

 **xxx**

"Akeno," Rias - the Devil - cried out as well. "We - we have found you. We actually did."

For a short moment she seemingly forgot her surroundings. She materialized her wings and flew towards her best friend and Queen and flung her arms around her.

"I can not believe it," Gaeriel stated. "This is only the second world we visit after we have found Rias. And in opposite to the others, we didn´t even had that strange connection to locate her."

"There is something simply called dumb luck - I guess," Xenovia pointed out drily.

"I am also glad Rias," Akeno said to her Master and friend. "I was already afraid I might be stranded here for good. Or at least for the next years."

The bland looking human version of Rias was at the same time standing next to them and starring at her red headed big breasted double. She was looking visibly unsettled - not to say upset.

The Devil version admitted she had been shocked as she saw her **human** counterpart as well. Something about the existence of this particular alternate self simply unsettled her on a fundamental level. She **was** a Devil after all. She was born one and it was what she was meant to be. Every other alternate version of herself she had met so far had been one.

So **how** came it that this one wasn´t? How was this even possible?

"Moment - moment, stop it for a moment," Human Rias spoke up. "So **this** is my evil counterpart you have been talking about Akeno?" She exclaimed, pointing at Rias.

She had gulped involuntarily at the sight as she had first seen her. There was no denying it. This red haired bitch here could give Akeno a run for her money... in both looks and breastsize. In opposite to herself she didn´t need glasses either. And that hair. (If she was honest, she had always dreamed about looking like this)... and she was her fucking counterpart. It was obvious since the She-Devil had her own face minus the glasses.

But she was looking like every man´s dream, while she herself was just looking like... like **this**.

How could this be? It was just not fair. It was so frustrating.

"Hey, who are you calling evil here, you...?" Rias cried out in return.

After all what happened, she was truly at the end of her nerves. And seeing this bizarre double of herself was only pushing her even further.

"We just met a few moments ago. So how can you just claim that..." she called out.

"Well, okay - I admit I am not exactly a saint, but..." She suddenly interrupted herself. "And - and... how in the world can my counterpart here be human. How is that possible?... and on top of that looking so - so..."

`...ordinary - plain,´ she thought. If she had to have a human counterpart somewhere, could she not be at least somewhat close to as attractive as herself? she thought in a short burst of vanity coming to her.

Moment - what the heck was she thinking about? she asked herself. Who cared if this human version of her was attractive or not? Why was she human in the first place?

She suddenly started to look uncomfortable and broke up her speech. But the short but meaningful look, that she gave to `Rias´ chest for a short moment, said enough.

Which her human double of course noticed as well.

"Y-you..." she exclaimed angrily. "You think **you** are the one who´s shocked here?" she suddenly called out loudly. "First I find out that I am a fucking Devil in some other dimension. That our - my - parents and my brother are Devils where you came from. For god knows what reasons.

And - and on top of that I hear that you are - well, looking like thia and have boobs that are rivalling Akeno´s and... now you show up here and I see that it is actually true."

Rias asked herself for a moment of her human counterpart was for real or if she was just acting theatrical upset on purpose.

But then her human double´s entire angry stance suddenly fell down into itself and she was just looking... somehow depressed.

"Why? Why do you have to look like this and I..." If she had these looks, she thought sadly, she was sure she would have succeeded with getting to Issei-sama a long time ago.

 **xxx**

The Sorcerer named Issei Hyoudou from this world was looking at his two counterparts as well.

What the second Akeno had told them about the multiple worlds was obviously the truth, he thought. There was no way this could be faked. He had instantly noticed that his doubles not only possessed very high supernatural powers - that also varied from each other somehow...

... - they were also **both** wearers of the Boosted Gear - Red Dragon Emperors. Like Rias was in this world.

In fact in one of them, the one who was obviously the leader of the strange group, he could not only sense Ddraig, but also another source of power, one that interacted with the Red Dragon... and formed a power so tremendous and strange, that he could not even make out it´s exact nature and limits.

And the other Issei had been turned into a Devil.

Then there was the Devil version of Rias, two Fallen Angels (one of them being a second Raynare) and even more doubles of people he knew.

There was no way that this could be a deception - or that anyone would even bother to add details like this if it were one.

Of the people with them, he admitted a few of them surprised him. His old friend Irina and her partner Xenovia - yes, he could see that. Kuroka - yes. The Devil version of Rias and this Kiba (who was obviously her Servant). Even another Raynare and Asia. They all he could understand.

But Murayama? Seriously?

He only knew her as a completely perverted schoolgirl and a close friend of `Rias´ and all too often a personal nuisance to Matsuda and Motohama and himself at school.

Well - maybe this version of her was different... hopefully she is, he thought.

"I guess there is no denying it. Akeno´s crazy story is true," he spoke out loud. "So you are both `me´, huh? Is there a reason there are two of you here?" he inquired. There had to be something going on, he knew - maybe connected to these demonic beings.

"We are... well, you could call dimension-travellers," Issei answered. "We all are part of a certain organization that... you could say we protect the Multiverse from threats... We were following a group that had caused trouble in his home-universe," he pointed to his Devil counterpart, "Great trouble... So he had decided to come with us."

"And you both possess the Boosted Gear," the Sorcerer said with a look at his two other selves. "I guess that is possible if Rias is a Devil where you come from. So she couldn´t have a Sacred Gear for herself and someone else would be the Red Dragon."

"That is true," Devil Issei responded.

 **[Yes, to be honest you could say this is more than a bit strange even to me.]** Ddraig – the one sealed into Rias MacGreymore´s Boosted Gear spoke up. **[Meeting two other versions of myself. You are right by the way Hyoudou. I can sense the presence of the other me´s inside their Boosted Gears as well... identical to my own.]**

 **[You are right,]** Guardian Issei´s Ddraig responded. **[It was quite bizarre, meeting another version of myself. But for us it is not the first time anymore. You could even say it is quite enlightening.]** He chuckled a bit. **  
**

 **[And it seems all of us managed to get trapped inside this Sacred Gear,]** Devil Issei´s Ddraig pointed out. **  
**

"Well, it happened many centuries ago," Gaeriel stated. "So it will be in many parallel world that you are in this situation. Beside that, if you hadn´t gone to far in your fight with Albion and endangered everyone else, the Three Factions would have never teamed up against you and sealed you away in the first place. So I have to say you have only to thank yourself for that you are in this situation."

 **[You know Fallen Angel, there are not many who would dare to speak to the Red Dragon Emperor in this way,]** the Ddraig of this world said. **  
**

 **[That doesn´t change that she is right,]** Guardian Issei´s Ddraig said , ****[and the fact that we are stronger than her won´t change it either. Had we been more considerate to other beings and not only caring about ourselves, we would not be sealed up here. This is a lesson I learned a long time ago. And I hope you did as well.]****

Both other Dragons said nothing, but gave out a short mental agreement the others were able to sense.

"I guess that is what you meant with `enlightening conversation with yourself," Issei - the Guardian version - stated. "But to be honest, in **most** worlds we have seen so far, it had been versions of me - well, of **us** \- who were holding Ddraig... and Rias had been a Devil in **all** of them. So it is your Rias who is the strange one."

"Okay - so everywhere else I am a Devil... and have boobs like that," Human Rias stated. "Just **great**."

"I guess we have a bigger problem than your two personal issues Rias," Gaeriel said, pointing to the other side of the street.

Standing there, starring at them with wide open mouths, were nobody else than this world´s versions of Murayama and Katase.

"H-had they followed us?" Shirone said surprised.

"It seems so," Sorcerer Issei stated grimly. "That and they had probably heard they noise from the fight. Damn it. I should have warded the area from the outside world, but..."

Such a stupid beginners mistake he thought. But he had let first the appearance of these mysterious demonic beings and then of the other group of strangers distract him. He had just not thought about it. Damn.

They all turned around to the two eccentric schoolgirls... who gulped visible in return.

`Murayama´ and `Katase´ knew they had just seen something they were not supposed to see.

There were not just one, but **three** Issei´s here. (Not that this alone was a bad thing. In fact they could barely keep themselves from drooling. And then they made out another, blonde boy, who they admitted was just as, if not even more, handsome than Issei.)

And the two Raynares and Gaeriel had their wings out... and `Murayama´ could only stare at the mirror image of herself.

Yes, there was definitely something more than just strange going on here. Was this some kind of crazy science fiction story or something?

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Somewhere else_

"So, do I understand this right?" the two Erebos were listening to the `curious´ but cold voice of Lord Pazuzu, who had just transported to this universe a few minutes earlier.

"You have not only been discovered by the natives. But one of you got captured. That means there is now a great chance of our existence being discovered by them. All that because of **your** incompetence."

Standing next to them was the assembled team of the Devil Hunters, who they had met up with another ten minutes before that.

They all looked dispassionately at the two sorry Demons, who were just trying to explain their latest mess-up to their Master.

"W-we could have dealt with it," one of them tried to defend himself. "But then this group of powerful strangers suddenly showed up and we had to retreat. The Red Dragon Emperor was with them - **two** of them. We had no choice."

"And we tried to bring Koresh with us - we truly did," the woman pleaded, "but they were standing in our way."

"Yes, I see that," Pazuzu replied. "But even if that is true, it would have never come to this if you hadn´t been detected by the natives in the first place. No matter what excuses you try to bring up, this situation was caused by your own incompetence."

It was in this moment that both of the soldiers knew for sure they were finished.

The Devil Hunters who were standing by had overheard the entire exchange. Their leader Vali admitted his curiosity was sparked. Two more Red Dragon´s? He had already felt the presence of his rival back in the last world. But he hadn´t realized it were actually two. Of course, one must have been with this mysterious group, the other been native in that universe. And they both had followed them? Maybe at least one would actually been a challenge. The one from his own home-universe had simply been too young and inexperienced.

`What do you think Albion?´ he asked siletly.

At the answer of his Dragon a small smile formed on his face.

"If it were just on me," Lord Pazuzu stated calmly," I would maybe give you another chance. But as we all, I have to hold up the rules set by our Emperor... and you know the punishment for that kind of incompetence."

The two soldiers felt now cold like ice. They were going to die. There was nothing they could do.

"Vali - if you may please... " the Demon Lord said and gestured to the leader of the Devil Hunters.

"Forget it," he replied stoically. "We have agreed to work as mercenaries for your Empire and your `special missions´... but we are not your personal executioners."

Lord Pazuzu looked Vali in the eyes for a short moment, then he gave a short glance to the other members of the Devil Hunters.

"Hey, don´t look at me," Kuroka said. "Vali is completely right. We have joined you to fight Devils, not to kill your own men for you when they have messed up. ... And we are not your Servants."

Nero and Koneko, the two most silent members of their group, were only starring at him. Typical for them, Kuroka thought to herself.

While Mittelt was visible pale. Both Kuroka and Vali agreed that they were not quite sure if the young Fallen Angel was still reliable - or if she had ever been trustworthy in the first place. They were perfectly aware that she had only joined them out of fear. Not that they couldn´t understand where she was coming from in some way.

By what Kuroka had heard, she had first joined Kokabiel´s rogues out of fear for her own life... and then, when Kokabiel fell, run away an hid, out of fear of punishment from her Faction for joining them in the first place.

The young Fallen might be a coward, but given how young she was and how weak compared to many others, a part of her could not really condemn her for it.

The question was: would she abandon them as well, like she did her former allies? And honestly, did they even care if she did? It was not as if they needed her.

But how would their employers react? Would they just let her go? Or would they kill her?

Well, it was not as if she really cared much.

 **xxx**

If Kuroka was honest, she had herself some misgivings... especially with their latest mission.

Not only were they setting up a war that would involve other races beside the hated Devil and most likely will get many of them killed. But it was not as if they hadn´t done similar things before, just never on such a big level.

Part of it was also the detail of framing her other self for murder. From their information about that world she knew that her double had just lost her sister - her own Shirone - a short time before. She knew perfectly what she must be going through, she had felt the same. And she doesn´t really wanted to add more to her counterpart´s pain.

But orders were orders.

And beside that... maybe, just maybe, her counterpart had nothing to loose anyway.

Kuroka remembered how she had felt after she had lost her Shirone - her sister, the last family she had. She had been lost. Alone - the last of her family long gone, being hunted.

Nothing left to life for. Just hate for the ones who caused her sister´s death - and being unable to truly do something to truly harm them on her own.

But in the end, she had at least some luck in her mysery... when Vali had found her and given her the offer from the Erebos Demons, the same he himself had been given, **finally** the chance for revenge.

The heads of the Pillar Families who had asked for Shirone´s death had been the first who felt her wrath, the first of many.

... And then, only a short time later, they had found `Koneko´ and recruited her as well.

She knew she was not her `true´ sister, not the same Shirone she had grown up with. But a part of her did everything to push this truth out of her mind, to pretend that her real sister was back and that everything was like before.

This was also another reason they both had asked Vali to include her sister into their relationship. Aside from the fact that Koneko had been obviously attracted to him. They wanted to be togehter forever, they both and him. She and her `little sister´ never wanted to be separated again. And having Vali have them both, was also another way to bound them closer together. Kuroka knew she would never let go of this.

But this other Kuroka never had that chance. Yes, maybe if they killed her over this, it would actually be a mercy for her other self. Maybe.

Or maybe she was just having such thoughts to smooth her own consiousness. What was left of it, with all the blood on her hands.

But it was not as if it made much of a difference. Even without her, the Erebos would just find another way to cause the war they wanted.

 **xxx**

The Erebos Lord Pazuzu finally nodded.

"Of course," he said. "This is not what you have been hired for."

They were correct. Technically the Devil Hunters were not his subjects, but free agents.

In truth, he asked them only to see how they reacted, not because he actually expected them to do it. He would just see how far they were willing to go.

Now he knew what he had to do, not matter how much he hated it. But the rules of the Empire had to be followed, even for him.

Without another word, the Demon Lord unleashed a powerful barrage of combined lightning and raw energy.

The two doomed warriors barely saw the attack. They had no chance to react... and no chance to survive. They were dead in split-seconds. Just like Pazuzu had intended.

`What a waste,´ he thought silently.

It was true that this two (and their teammate) had failed miserable here. But they were still loyal soldiers. If they had just been given other duties they were more suited for - and of course some disciplinary actions, they could have learned from their mistakes. (Or at least they could have found `easier´ tasks for them, where they could be useful.)

But he pushed such sentimental thoughts out of his mind. It was Emperor Dagon´s doctrin. Failure was not to be tolerated.

"Vali," he said to the leader of the D.H., "you said these other group has seen you? And as it seems they had managed to follow you here. By their descriptions it is pretty sure that it is the same group."

"Yes."

"And now they have one of us," Pazuzu stated. "Maybe you should pay them a visit."

"That actually sounds interesting," Vali replied with a smile forming on his face. "The last time we had to leave quickly to not compromise the mission. But now... we have the chance to have an actual meeting with these group, right Vali?" he said darkly, but with more than a bit sarcasm.

"Sure Lord Pazuzu," the leader of the Devil Hunters replied. "I admit I am curious as well what they will be able to do, especially the Issei Hyoudou´s," he said with a smile.

 **xxxxxxx**

Meanwhile the the now three Issei Hyoudous and their comrades were looking at the `smaller problems´ they had at hand. Meaning `Rias´ two friends and also their mysterious captive.

"You should just erase their memories," `Raynare´, the one of this world, suggested.

"What?" the native `Murayama´ called out in shock.

"This might be the best solution," Sorceror Issei admitted. He was already mentally preparing to use his powers and the right spell.

"Wait Issei-sama," Human Rias said. "I know they are not supposed to know about this, but... but please don´t do this."

"And why not?" he asked. "It won´t hurt them and they won´t remember any of this afterwards."

"I know, but... they are my best friends - aside from you - and... I know that `Murayama´ is afraid about the idea of loosing her memory."

"She is right," Murayama spoke up. "That is something I was also always somehow afraid of."

Issei was watching the scene with a bit of morbid curiosity. He remembered that not long ago, he had been in a quite similar situation. He had chosen not to erase his friend´s memories, but instead actually to reveal his secrets to them. He was curious what his counterpart would do.

Sorcerer Issei´s eyes went to him for a short moment.

"Don´t look at me," Issei said. "I am just a visitor here. This is your world."

"We can not risk having them talk to anyone about us," Shirone said.

"Why not," Human Rias said. "I will ask just ask them to not tell anyone. You trust me, right? And even if they let something slip... it - it is not as if anyone would believe them something like this. You know our reputation." Her gave went downwards.

"You mean the `school-sluts´ telling some weird tale?" Shirone asked her pointedly.

"Yes," `Rias´replied grimly.

"Okay," Sorcerer Issei finally responded. "Do you two give your word not to speak to anyone about what you have seen here?" he asked `Murayama´ and `Katase´.

"O-of course Issei-sempai," `Murayama´ replied.

"I promise," `Katase´ said. "But - but could I ask what exactly is going on here anyway?"

"I will explain things in a few minutes `Issei´ said. "But first we have something else to deal with.

His gaze wandered to the remaining unconscious Demon, who was still lying a few meters away from them.

"He is clearly from a species I have never seen before," Sorcerer Issei stated.

"I know," Issei responded. "I have never seen this race either. You say a race like this shouldn´t exist in this world?"

"No," his other self answered. "I have never seen someone like him before. Except maybe from tales." He kept however looking at the creature for a few seconds. This being, somehow he was reminded of something. But he wasn´t quite sure.

"I see," Issei said. He released some of his energy... and **concentrated**. A glowing aura began to surround him.

The two girls Murayama and Katase of this world were gawking at him with open mouths. The others around were however used to displays like this.

"What are you doing?" the Sorcerer asked him.

"I am trying to reach inside his mind," Issei answered, "to find out more about who and what he is. But that would be hard as long as he is unconscious."

Issei admitted he had second thoughts about this. He was here trying to invade the mind of another being without permission after all. The idea alone left a bad feeling inside him.

But this was after all a group of obviously demonic beings that, according to the natives, shouldn´t even exist in this world. So where did they came from. Beside that they had attacked him on side without any real provocation and tried to kill him.

And they had met this creatures who shouldn´t be here right in the world they had followed the mysterious group to they had just witnessed assassinating a Pope and potentially trigger a war. Were they somehow connected to this? They needed to find out all the information they could get.

"That sounds good. I will assist you," his Sorcerer counterpart said. He used his own magical powers to back up Issei´s telepathy.

" **Wake up** ," Issei said to him... backed up by their combined powers.

" **Who are you**?" he asked both verbally and mentally. **"Tell me!"**

"Mission... observation... infiltration... hate revenge... Empire..." Issei repeated words he found inside the stranger´s mind. "Erebos," he finally said.

"Erebos?" Akeno spoke up. She remembered this term.

Issei´s Sorcerer counterpart´s expression turned thoughtful at this. He hadn´t been quite sure about the thought that had come to his mind earlier. But now he was.

Issei released the creature from his mental hold... and he sank down. Their prisoner was awake now... and he was glaring at them enraged.

" **Sleep,** " Issei said to him now, combined with a mental order and he fell once again unconscious.

"Okay... I - I saw a few things in his mind." He turned to the others. "They... as it looks they are a demonic race - older than the Devils, much older. And they are able to travel between dimensions... just like us and... our enemies."

Issei looked at both his friends and the natives of this world as he said this.

"They have an Empire someone out there. I have seen glympses of it."

"In one of the parallel worlds you mean?" Raynare asked him.

"Erebos?" Akeno asked, "wasn´t that the name of the enemy in the war that had been fought in your world?" She turned to Sorcerer Issei.

"It is," he replied. They had suddenly appeared in this world at the time the Devils had been fighting each other. And at the end of it they disappeared just as suddenly, without leaving any trace." He considered. "What you say about dimensional travel however would explain a lot."

"Isn´t that also the name of some Greek God?" Irina questioned.

"Yes, Erebos was in the greek mythology one of the Primordial Gods, the first ones who rose directly from the Chaos before creation," Sorcerer Issei explained, "if you believe this story. Under them, Erebos was the Personification of Darkness."

"And they are calling themselves that?" Raynare commented drily. "Sounds like these guys are quite full of themselves."

"So they are somehow connected to this God?" Akeno questioned. A few of the others, including her double, had the same question going through their minds.

"That is not sure. This here is clearly a demonic race. So a connection to the Greek Gods is actually ulikely. The term is sometimes also used to simply describe the element of darkness itself," Gaeriel explained, "without referring to the god."

"I don´t think so," Issei said. "By what I saw in his mind, I found no sign that they are somehow connected to the Greek Mythology. You sense his magic power and energy as well. They seem to be completely demonic. The word Erebos for them seems to mean simply Darkness. I think the name means to them that they are descended directly from the Dark."

"As if they are **purer** Demons than the most or something?" Irina asked.

"Yes exactly," Issei responded. "By what I could see, they consider themselves to be truer and purer than other demonic races. Especially the Devils have I seen in his mind connected with the words half-breeds or half-blood or... ahm well, scum."

"They consider us to be an impure race?" Rias asked curiously.

"Yes."

"I guess you are right Raynare-chan," Asia remarked, "these guys **are** full of themselves."

"The cute Nun has spoken," the Fallen Angel responded.

"Former Nun," she reminded her.

"I also saw something else inside of him," Issei stated, "hatred - nearly unbelievable hatred... and it is directed at the Devils," he said towards Rias. "But... well, I know that many beings have reasons to have issues with your race... but never something like this."

Rias grimaced slightly at his words. She remembered all too well the things some people had brought up against her kind... even many of the Guardians. But finally they had started to get along with each other and things seemed to be changing. They had even peace with their old enemies, the Angels and Fallen now.

"But what surprise me is that I didn´t actually see a real reason for such a deep hate," Issei said. "I mean, I couldn´t see that a Devil had ever actually done anything to him."

"Well, maybe that is it, maybe there is simply no personal reason for his hatred," Sorcerer Issei suggested.

"What do you mean?" Devil Issei asked. He had stayed silent during most of the conversation. This was only his second time travlling to another world. So far he had mostly been listening to everything that was being said.

He also stayed close to Kuroka, who seemed a bit overwhelmed by all what was happening. Sure, Kuroka was a powerful fighter and a hard-assed former Stray Devil. But visiting another freaking universe and copies of other people, was unusual even for something like that.

He would also not mind the chance to come closer to the big breasted dark haired cat-beauty.

`No - bad Issei,´ he thought to himself. He would concentrate on the mission, he decided - no matter how impressive Kuroka´s breasts were.

"What I mean is, maybe this hate is just the product of indoctrination," his Sorcerer counterpart replied. "By what I remember from the stories of the war with the Erebos, the Devils had for some reason always been their main target. They had clashed with the other Factions and some other races as well, but their focus was mostly on them."

"It is possible," Guardian Issei replied. "That is all I was able to see. I admit I have not been doing this for long."

Raynare and Gaeriel had by now conjured some magical shackles to chain their prisoner up, in case he would wake up again.

"I would say that is already some quite interesting information," Gaeriel said. "I think we all should have a longer talk with each other." She looked at the group of natives.

"We should," the Sorcerer replied. "But not here."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Home-universe of the Guardians - M Universe 001_

A seemingly young woman with shoulder long deep red hair was walking through the corridors of the building that had been more or less been her home for the last decades.

It was an a bit smaller house, that located not far away from the former Hellsing mansion that was the headquarter of the Guardians.

The building was standing somewhere, on the ground of the several square miles of land that belonged to the `Carleon Association´ (one of the legal names of the Guardians in this world). So the closest neighbors were nearly a kilometer away.

Officially the house was the home of the heir of some rich family named `Lucien Lamperouge´ and his sister. Together with a few guests that lived under their roof.

Of course there were also some, partly quite silly, rumors going around about the a bit mysterious rich heir. One of them was that he was actually having a harem of girls living in his house. (Okay, this was actually true in a way.)

In truth it was the local HQ of their own side-brunch of the Guardians.

Her name was Kallen Kozuki, sometimes also known under the surname of her britannian father - Kallen Stadtfeld.

"Lelouch," she greeted her group-leader, who was also her former Commander in their Rebellion against the so called Britannian Empire back in their home-dimension, the Master she had sworn her loyalty to... and the man she loved.

 **xxx**

Like many other sub-groups of the Guardians, they originally came from one of the many parallel Earths.

The history of their own world diverged however in some important details from this one and most other ones the Guardians had contact to. Aside from the existence of the users of the powers called Geass and their influence (which included Lelouch himself), the most important historical differences were the fact that...

a) in their world the American Revolution (here called `Washington´s Rebellion´) had failed, and...

b) Napoleon had successfully defeated England at Trafalgar and conquered the British Islands. The exiled english royalty had fled to the still existing Colonies on the American Continent and finally used it as the starting ground to found a new state.

As a result, in their history instead of the democratically ruled United States of America, the former British Colonies developed into the Britannian Empire - a absolute Monarchy... that quickly developed more and more into a totalitarian, agressive and rassist dictatorship, that preached Social Darwinism, bigotry and arrogance towards other nations and races.

And like so often, tyranny like that bred resistance.

Ironic however was it that the leader of the greatest of these resistance movements, the group known as the Black Knights, had originally bee nothing else than a Prince of the same nation they were fighting against.

It was at that time, that they had found out that there were far more dangerous threats in existence than just the Britannian Empire... and that one of them was at work in their world. At the same time it was then when their group had first came into contact with the Guardian organization and they came to work together against the agents of the Dark Order... and later joined them for good.

 **xxx**

The official owner of the house -`Lucien´ Lamperouge - and Lelouch where actually the same person. Lelouch Vi Britannia - or Lelouch Lamperouge, going by his mother´s maiden name - was the original owner of this house.

But since he, like most members of the Guardians, did not longer age physically, he started to fake himself a new identity and was not playing to role of the own son.

While the existence of the Guardians and to some extent even the fact of their immortality was by now known to the public of **this** Earth, the fact that the Lamperouge family and their associates were members of them was not. For certain reasons it was being kept secret.

Lelouch had been awaiting her sitting at the long table in the dining hall of their home. Next to him at the table were sitting the other members of their small team.

In opposite to certain other members of the Guardians, their powers were not actually on a tremendious cosmic level. So instead of challenging the Lords themselves and the other strongest members of the Dark Order, their speciality was more undercover work to counter their plans and agents. Given their history as revolutionaries who usually acted in secret, this only made sense and they agreed to it.

In opposite to some others, they had also not been members of the Guardians for centuries, but `only´ for a few decades - shortly after the original mission to their world.

Sitting to him at the table on the right side was C.C. She was a several centuries old Immortal from their home-dimension - who **had** already been immortal long before they had even joined the Guardians. She also possessed the ability to give others the mysterious abilities known as Gease and had once given his to Lelouch.

Then on the other side was Jeremia Gottwald, a former britannian officer and nobleman who had once changed sides and turned against the Britannian Empire out of personal loyalty to Lelouch´s family and especially his mother.

Beside him was Sayoko, the former `maid´ of the Lamperouge family, who was in fact however a Ninja warrior. She had been with the Lamperouge siblings even before they had started their Rebellion back in their own world and had been helping to take care of them as they were children.

Then there was Kaguya Sumeragi. Like Sayoko, she was originally japanise from their universe and had been one of the Black Knight´s supporters. In opposite to the older woman however, she had not been a fighter, but a young politician from an influencial family. And experience that she was still making good use of now. They needed more than just fighters after all.

And on the opposite end of the table finally was Lelouch´s sister Nunally. A long time ago she and what happened to her had been the main motivation for Lelouch to start his rebellion in the first place. Once she had been crippled and, a long time ago, blind, But as they came here, their new allies had helped to heal and restore her body. Like Lelouch himself, she possessed a Geass Power, provided to her by C.C. While her brother possessed a form of mind-control and could give every person (unless they possessed a strong enough form of mental or magical protection) one absolute command, she could manipulate their perceptions and put illusions into their minds.

All of them had been at one point been members of Lelouch Rebellion, with the exception of Nunally, who had only joined their group later - after they had found out about the existence of the Guardians and their opponents.

"Kallen," Lelouch returned her greeting, "what have you heard? Had they found out something more?" he asked her.

"Not much," she answered. "but as it seems something is going on."

Kallen had just returned from a meeting with the two Guardian members Stephen Strange and the Specter. Both former superheroes from this reality who had evolved into incredible powerful entities.

Stephen Strange, she knew, had once been a famous physician from the USA of this reality. Then he became a Sorcerer of all things, after an accident made it impossible for him to continue his work - ironically originally in the hope to use his power to heal his injuries. During the first Great Conflict with the Dark Order, he had then joined the Guardians.

Specter on the other side, she knew nearly nothing about, except that she was the host of some ancient Super Entity. Kallen didn´t knew her civilian name, her identity or heritage... hell, she wasn´t even completely sure what species she was or from which Universe she came from. There were rumors going around that she was a Vampire, a Golem, even a robot - a artificial lifeform. That she had been the lover of Darien... or one of the Lords ,or both of them at different times.

Kallen admitted there was something about this woman that unsettled her a bit. On the other hand she had experience dealing with people this mysterious. It was not as if Zero a.k.a Lelouch or C.C. had been much better when she first knew them.

Lelouch on his part had been visited by Peter Parker for the last couple of hours. In fact, Kallen had barely missed their guest when she had returned. The former superhero was one of the members of the other Guardian groups, Lelouch was going along with the best.

Both of them were highly intelligent (with Peter being a talented scientist as well as an experienced fighter) and preferred to use `brain before brawn´. And Peter even admitting to him that he, before he had gotten his super-powers, had been physically quite weak, just like Lelouch had been back then.

Ironically it had been Peter who had helped him to actually train in earnest for the first time. Looking back, Lelouch could barely believe it that he had actually been leading a Rvolution without regular combat-training.

Today however they had mostly been talking about recent events. For one there was a new world that possessed a larger number of humans with different kinds of superhuman powers, that had recently been discovered by their new recruit Hyoudou and his team. At the same world they came across a very powerful Agent of the dark Order only called `The Accelerator´. Peter however also mentioned that this guy was only following their instructions out of worry for his homeworld, something Lelouch could actually understand. And that he maybe could be persuated to change sides - or at least stay neutral. If they could guaranty his world´s protection at least.

There was also the topic that Odin was currently assisting this other version of Hyoudou, who came from that future timeline together with his allies, in their own mission to stop a line of powerful enemies and threats for their homeworld. And Odin called this his retirement, Lelouch thought.

"Several of what they called `dimensional breaches´ had been detected in our Cluster of Universes," Kallen reported. "They have located the exact world by now."

Their Cluster of Universes, that meant worlds like their own, where the Power of Geass and most likely the Britannian Empire existed.

"That means they want us to investigate?" Lelouch stated.

"Yes... but careful for now," she answered. "Do you think someone there is actually experimenting with wormhole or even actual dimensional-transfer technology?"

"Who knows."

"A Britannian Empire with the ability to travel between worlds is actually something I don´t even want to think about," she stated.

"I can not disagree with you here," he replied. "But you know it could just as easily be someone travelling **to** this universe. They don´t know enough to tell yet."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _Akeno´s World_

The three Issei Hyoudou´s and their two groups had by now transported to a place a bit outside of the towns borders and they were sitting down on the grass.

The native Akeno,her mother Shuri and their world´s Kuroka, after the Sorceror Issei had contacted them. His parents were also present for the conversation. But not in person, having been out of town for a few days, but via connection through a magic-circle.

Issei and his team spend the next half hour explaining to them the entire story about who they were, the Guardians and their past travels. He admitted he was a bit unnerved by the idea of his parents in this world not being normal citizens like he was used to, but members of a powerful Sorcerer Guild. But - well, he and his friends had seen stranger things by now.

But that was nothing compared to how **they** reacted to his own story.

"Wow." That was all `Katase´ was able to say in the end.

"So this group had returned you to life. But they gave you a choice if you wanted to join them and you accepted," `Issei´s´ father asked over the connection.

"That is right," he replied. He decided not to mention that it had been Raynare who had originally killed him, just that he was dieing from an attack.

"And in your world we are all dead?" `Akeno´ asked Devil Issei uneasily.

"You, Rias, Asia, Kiba and Kone-... ahm I mean Shirone - you have all been killed before my eyes. And I could do nothing," he said.

"You had activated you Sacred Gear just for a bit over a week," Kuroka reminded him. "There was truly nothing."

The other Kuroka and her sister were looking at her with a horrified but sympathic look.

"Let us talk about something else," Gaeriel said.

"And you are actually together with Raynare, Asia **and** Irina?" Sorcerer Issei asked his counterpart a bit shocked.

"And possible others as well soon," Raynare responded. "There is this Devil-girl named Ravel for example, Gaeriel here and maybe a few others here as well," she said with a side-glance to Murayama, who only rolled her eyes. "Issei-kun always wanted to have a harem after all."

"And you just went along with that?" `Akeno´ asked her curiously.

Raynare suddenly froze painfully... the regret and self-hatred coming back to her in full force for a moment.

"I-... yes," she replied reluctantly.

"I see," Sorcerer Issei said in understanding at her painful reaction. His eyes were gliding from his own Raynare to her and back. He suddenly realized the reason his counterpart had been dieing. She had been ordered to assassinate the Sekiryuutei... an as it seemed not only in this world. But as it looked his other self had forgiven her... and even fallen in love with her.

"It is actually not bad... I mean it is quite nice actually, I mean," Raynare said, stammering a bit. "The other girls actually became some of my best friends." `Not that this was hard, since there were so little people you were getting along with anyway,´ she thought to herself. `Your fucked up life could have only gotten better.

"Issei-kun is actually quite perverted where we came from... and his double here is not much different by what I have seen," Rias said with a wide grin, looking at their two Issei´s. "He and his friends Motohama and Matsuda are even called the Perverted Trio by the students."

Sorcerer Issei and the others exchanged an a bit confused look at this.

"Here, Rias, Murayama and Katase are called exactly the same thing," `Akeno´ stated.

"W-what?" Murayama called out in shock.

"And they are living up to their name," Shirone added.

The two perverted girls in question however were now coming over their shock about all they had heard... and were coming back to themselves.

"Y-you mean you have an Issei-sama who actually **does** it with girls instead avoiding them? That´s great," `Katase´ said in glee. "Does that mean you two already let him have his way with you?" she asked Rias and Murayama. "The way you look Rias, I am sure you would have no problem with that, right?"

"Yeah and you have **two** of them here," `Murayama´ said perversely. "I can barely beginn to imagine the possibilities. Have you already done it with both of them at once?" she asked them bluntly.

"I-... ah-..." Murayama stammered, blushing deeply. She could not believe just how perverted her counterpart really was. No, they were not like Matsuda and Motohama, she decided. No, they were even worse. At least their two perverts peeking on them or making lecherous comments never emberassed her personally like this.

"Yes, have you taken one of them into your pussy and one into your ass and let them bang you until you could no longer walk?" Rias MacGreymore asked.

Rias gulped visibly... and turned even redder than before. Her own thought from not long ago were coming back to her: `All Rias Gremories in the Multiverse are perverts´ - ... especially **this** one.

"I have certainly **not**!" Murayama finally called out. "I am not a pervert-nympho like you after all."

"Oh, you are not?" `Murayama´ said `innocently´. "You should try, you don´t know what you are missing."

Murayama could not quite believe what she was hearing.

"I -... Issei-san and I are not like that," Rias said. "I mean, it is not that I could not imagine it. Issei is a great guy after all, even if he is somewhat of a pervert... I mean... He has done much for us all..."

"Issei brought me back to live once and asked me for nothing in return," Murayama stated. "He saved Kuoh from an insane Fallen Angel Leader. He had gotten Rias out of an forced marriage. He saved another world from global destruction."

"Sounds like he is a **real hero** ," `Katase´ said, "just like our Issei seems to be too. Oh Issei-sama, I only want you even more," she said dreamily.

"But you have to admit," `Murayama´ stated, "this Kiba guy is very yummy as well. Maybe we should try him too."

Murayama wanted in this moment nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow her. She just could not believe her completely shameless counterpart. She did not even dare to look at Xenovia.

"Hey," the Exorcist in question called out, "Yuuto is my boyfriend!"

"That is no reason not to share," `Katase´ replied casually. "Maybe you can try out one of the Issei´s in exchange."

Xenovia was completely flabbergasted now. How was she even supposed to respond to something like that?

"You hear it, she didn´t say no," `Murayama´ mentioned.

"Shut up! All three of you," Sorcerer Issei finally yelled at them. "I might have agreed not to erase your memories. But I swear, if you don´t manage to act like normal people for five bloody minutes for once, I will change my mind."

"O-okay," `Murayama´now stammered visibly intimidated.

"I am sorry Issei," Human Rias said now. She realized even for their standard they were going too far here, especially with people they just met. This entire situation just seemed to exciting.

"Good," he replied. "If you have any **normal** things to talk about? If not, please just be quiet."

For a few moments nobody said anything.

"So have you seen many other of these worlds?" Human Rias asked them curiously.

"A few," Irina stated.

"And there are of course the ones the other Guardians had discovered before we even started," Raynare pointed out.

"Well, there is of course the universe where the Guardians came from," Issei said. "It is much different than our world. Kuoh like we know it for example doesn´t exist. Neither do the Three Factions or the Great War. But the Guardians and their enemies do.

In their history it is already around 2750, humans are already travelling to other planets and have contact with aliens - even with a species of sentient super-robots. A race of mutated humans with superpowers exist. Supernatural beings like ours, Angels, Demons or Vampires are much rarer, but the ones who are there are pretty powerful."

"Quite impressive," Sorcerer Issei replied.

"Just impressive? That is so cool," Human Rias said.

"That is something we actually agree on," Rias stated. "I remember our visit there. It was fantastic." Aside of course with the quite ugly way it had started, she recalled as well. But she decided to ignore this for the moment. By now she and the Guardians were going along quite well after all.

"There are also many other worlds that are very much like our own. Angels, Devil and Fallen, their war, Sacred Gears, with some variations in events and history," Gaeriel mentioned. "The Guardians had actually numbered them in the order they had discovered them. With ours being the first. They had an a bit complicated number for the entire cluster. But I guess to make it easier we could just call them for example DxD Universes."

"Like Future Issei´s team?" Irina asked.

"Future Issei?" Human Rias asked.

"Other versions of us who travelled back in time from their own world not long ago," Rias stated. "The Devils and Fallen from their were badly decimated and weakened and were forced to leave their reality."

"Severely weakened? So similar like here," Sorcerer Issei stated. "What kind of other worlds and differences are there?" he wanted to know.

"Aside from the fact that in most world´s you are not a Sorcerer and Rias is not human?" Issei stated. "Well, in the world labeled Universe 02 for example, our counterpart had sacrificed his own heart to Ddraig and became Half-Dragon. In Universe 03 our other self was turned into a Devil as well. But he was - well, not that impressive and had lost an important fight that **he** ," he pointed to Devil Issei, "had won. So that world´s Rias forced another quite powerful guy into her peerage, who was all but happy about it."

"Hey, don´t look at he like that," Rias defended herself. "I am not proud about what my idiotic counterpart had done at all."

"He would then be from Universe 06," Issei said, still pointing to Devil Issei.

"I guess that would make you Issei 06 then?" Raynare remarked. "And you Issei 015," she said to Sorcerer Issei smirking."

"In Universe 07, I had joined the Grigory. And in Universe 08 Sacred Gears don´t exist and in Universe 10 the Three Factions had completely retreated from the Human World and aside from the Yokai, the humans had barely any interference from the Supernatural."

"I see," Issei 015 - a.k.a Sorcerer Issei - replied.

"That are of course only the Universes similar like our own," Gaeriel pointed out. "Like the homeworld of the Guardians, there are many other that are quite different."

Suddenly however, their conversation ended appruptly. They all sensed the number of energies suddenly appearing close by. A few of them were very familiar.

"That is them," Raynare said.

"Yes," Rias replied, "there is no doubt."

"We should transport ourself further away from the town," Issei 015 stated. "We are still too close if it comes to a fight."

They all nodded.

"Shirone," he said, "you bring Katase and Murayama back - no discussion. Kuroka, when we have arrivd, form a ward around the entire area."

"Good," Issei 01 said, "Kuroka -" he addressed the black haire cat-girl who was with them, "help her."

"No way," Kuroka 06 answered, "I want a peace of these guys for what they had done to me."

"Okay, then you Raynare," he turned to her.

"Okay Issei-kun," she replied.

"Then let us go," Sorcerer Issei/Issei 015 said.

 **xxx**

A few seconds later they all appeared at a place a few dozen miles away from Kuoh.

Less than a minute later however they sensed the appearance of their pursuers and saw a trio of magic-circles lighting up close to them... a moment later the Devil Hunters along with their Master Pazuzu materialized.

Issei and his team recognized then instantly. For the natives however, most of them were not unknown either, yet another Kuroka, another Shirone, an unknown fighter carrying swords and wearing a mask, a young Fallen Issei and Raynare 015 recognized as her old teammate Mittels... and Vali Lucifer - the White Dragon Emperor.

Beside them however also stood another Demon, from the same race as their prisoner. They realized however that this one was much, much more powerful. At least Ultimate- more likely Maou Level.

"So they are working together," Irina stated.

"That much is obviously," Akeno remarked.

"Nice to see you again," Vali addressed them. "You know, we would really like to know who exactly you are."

Issei could only gulp as he felt this version of Vali powering up and saw his Scale Male Armor forming around him.

He was even more powerful than the Vali of his own world. And he already barely had a chance against the one he knew... at least without his Crimson Awakening. But he still had a hard time controlling that level and if he was forced to use it, it could backfire terrible.

But if it came to a fight and Issei was pretty sure that is was, he knew he would have no other choice than to use it.

And that did not even count in the other members of their opponents and the obvious Satan Level Demon standing next to them.

He could only hope that this Vali wouldn´t risk using Juggernaut Drive or maybe had another power-up. Then he could only hope that his Sorcerer counterpart and his group had some sort of ace in their backhand. Otherwise they had no chance at all.

* * *

 **It had taken me a long time to finish this chapter. In the last months I had been overstressed from work. But I have a few free days now.**

 **So I hope the next chapter for G.o.D will be finished quicker.**

 **As you might be able to guess, a crossover Arc with a Code Geass world will come not far in the future.**

 **Like a reviewer had suggested, I have introduced a new numbering system for the various universes. I already had the beginning of something like that in the second story-arc, but now I have made an improved version.**

 **The Universes based on the DxD world are called DxD Universe 01, 02 etc.**

 **Other worlds are labeled M Universes, with the home-reality of the Guardians being M01, an so far unseen world M02 and the DC Universe M03.**

 **The DxD worlds so far, based on the worlds introduced in this story, a few stories from other authors included and a few worlds not shown so far but mentioned here... would be:**

 **DxD Universe 01: Guardian Issei´s reality**

 ** **DxD Universe 02: Story "Heart of a Dragon" by Kyuubi Gohan  
****

 ** ** **DxD Universe 03: Story "Dragon Slaying Devil" by Payn 3******

 ** ** ** **DxD Universe 04: Story "A Man´s Heart" by Kyuubi Gohan  
********

 ** ** ** ** **DxD Universe 05: My story "Gods of Darkness"  
**********

 ** ** ** ** ** **DxD Universe 06: `Devil´ Issei´s reality (introduced in chapter 7)  
************

 ** ** ** ** ** **DxD Universe 07: Story "Nephilim Dance" where I was co-writer. (Not part of this story, but worth mentioning)************

 ** ** ** ** ** ** **DxD Universe 08: Unseen world without Sacred Gears, but with Angels, Devils and Fallen  
**************

 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **DxD Universe 09: My story "Gods of Darkness - A false Image"  
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 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **DxD Universe 010: Unseen world without Devils, Angels or Fallen  
******************

 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **DxD Universe 011: Story "Issei Leviathan" by Kyuubi Gohan  
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 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **DxD Universe 012: `Exorcist´ Issei´s world (Fight against the SHA)  
**********************

 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **DxD Universe 013: `Dark´ Issei´s world (where Rias had been accidentally send to)  
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 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **DxD Universe 014: World where Rias is more or less happily married to Riser.  
**************************

 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **DxD Universe 015: Human Rias world (based on concept from Hellsender)  
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End file.
